COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 11th, 2020

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

Madame Chair, again I would like to say that we are bringing forward different programs to support families, to support businesses, to make sure that we protect jobs. With our strong fiscal position, we are ready and able to respond to the challenge posed by COVID-19. We will continue to make sure that we monitor and continue to invest in Canadians during this pandemic.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Minister Fortier, you didn't even try to answer that question. I asked you about the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Why will Minister Fortier not answer the question?

The question was this: Why will this government not provide an economic update? The PBO is able to do their job. Economists in the private sector can do their jobs. Why will this government not provide an economic update?

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

Madame Chair, I will speak through you to the honourable member. We know that Canada's economy is in a period of extraordinary uncertainty, and that's why we will continue to be open and transparent and provide the necessary information on how much spending we've done to support Canadians. Once it is possible to provide a clear economic projection, we will provide an update.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Chair, the minister is not being transparent and clear. She's being evasive. She's not answering the questions.

Small business owners in my riding have contacted me this week. One is someone who pays himself through dividends from his private corporation, and another is an owner-operator who does not have a formal payroll. Both have reported to me this week that they still can't access the CEBA.

It was weeks ago that the government claimed to have addressed this issue. When will these people who have fallen through the cracks of these aid measures get access to the CEBA?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I want to thank the honourable member for that question.

I want to assure the honourable member that the expanded criteria for the bank loan will be available through Canada's financial institutions, credit unions and banks within days. Financial institutions have had to adapt to the new criteria to make sure they're able to do this programming with the new applicants. I can assure you that everyone is working as hard as they can. Nothing is more important to us than helping those small businesses from coast to coast to coast.

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Your question?

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Thousands of people in my riding work in the oil and gas industry. At the finance committee last week, a witness described the LEEFF program as “a Faustian bargain masquerading as a payday loan with a smile.”

When will the government design actual, realistic relief for the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Madam Chair, we have been working with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and with industry from the get-go, from the beginning of this crisis.

Their number one issue was liquidity. We have worked with them from the get-go to make sure that this liquidity was offered, and as we get further and further along, we will continue to work with them to fine-tune it and make sure it does what it is meant to do, which is to keep those companies in place to ensure that we have jobs and we get through this whole.

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

We will take a break for a few minutes so that new teams can take over.

We will resume the meeting.

Mr. Dalton has the floor.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madame Chair, Croatian Canadians living in Canada have a right to vote in Croatia's upcoming parliamentary elections. Why is this government refusing to allow the Croatian embassy or the consulate in Canada to host polling?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, thank you to the honourable member for that question. I will have to get back to you on that one. Thank you very much.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madame Chair, when the second round of applications for the Canada summer jobs program was announced, it was mentioned that additional funding could be forthcoming. Now I'm hearing from qualified applicants like the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association that they are being denied. Service Canada is telling members of Parliament to tell applicants, “Sorry, but there wasn't enough money.”

Madame Chair, why should we do the government's bidding for them? There's not enough money? Madame Chair, how is it possible that the Liberal government has $105 million to spend on jets for the minister and her colleagues to fly around the country and not enough money for a $4,000 youth summer job in my community?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

I'll remind the member that since our government came to power, we have doubled the number of Canada summer jobs available to communities across the country. This year, as part of our $9-billion investment in students, we created an additional 116,000 jobs.

The fact that there are so many jobs out there is great news for young people, Madam Chair. This program is indeed oversubscribed because of the flexibilities we added and a second round of calls. We're working to see how we can support businesses.

Let's not forget, Madam Chair, that this is great news for our future.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madam Chair, the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association was going to use their summer jobs funding to hire two downtown ambassadors to work with struggling small businesses with a system of signage and pamphlets, educating the public regarding social distancing, directing them to use ten washing stations and providing masks. They have received Canada summer jobs funding for years and have been a tremendous service to our community.

I have been in communication with the executive director over the past months. I told her that based on their history and past funding and how important their work is, especially during this time of COVID, I was confident they would receive funding; we just had to wait and wait.

How in the world is it possible, Madam Chair, that the government has money for private jets but no money for a non-profit that is trying to help struggling small businesses improve public health and safety?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I am happy to work with the member on CSJA applications and allotment. I can tell him that I know how beautiful Maple Ridge is, as I've been there many times. I look forward to figuring out how we can support employers in his riding and across the country as we invest in more jobs for young people.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madam Chair, despite what this government claims about having adequate supplies of PPE for those who need it most, for our front-line workers and those assisting vulnerable populations the reality is far different.

Last week, I delivered masks to our local Legion, care homes and our seniors. I'm arranging another batch for child care facilities, local businesses and non-profits. These masks did not come to me from the government; rather, they were a generous donation from overseas.

Why is it, Madam Chair, that our most vulnerable populations have to wait for Hong Kong philanthropists to step up and do the job their government should have been doing?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Madam Chair, the honourable member is mistaken in terms of the PPE that has been coming to the federal government from international and domestic sources. Over half of the face shields we have ordered have been produced domestically. In addition, we have millions of gloves, gowns, hand sanitizers, N95 respirators and surgical masks coming in daily on over 50 flights from China. Our stock is continuing to increase and our domestic capacity is continuing to grow.

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Mr. Dalton, you have time for a very short question.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Going back to Canada summer jobs, there are organizations in my riding that have done nothing but wait for this government with respect to jobs. They've had to wait longer for applications. Since winter they've had to revise criteria.

Madam Chair, how does this government justify spending money on fridges for Loblaws and private jets for themselves while non-profits in my riding see the funding that they have so long relied on cut or slashed?

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The honourable minister has time for a very short answer.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, this year we've tried to provide flexibility in the program to maximize the number of jobs available for young people. It's been a success.

I thank members of Parliament for their contributions because they've had to dig in on this, but I think our young people are grateful as well.

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

We're now going to Mr. Deltell.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Good afternoon, Madam Chair. I am very pleased to see you again today.

Could a member of the government tell us what Canada's deficit is?

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

Madam Chair, since the beginning of this crisis, our focus and priority has been on Canadians. We have put forward a number of programs. We continue to be open and transparent with—

[The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Mr. Deltell, you have the floor.