Evidence of meeting #21 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.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Transparency and openness are exactly what Canadians want, Madam Minister. For that, we need numbers and data. The crisis has been going on for three months. The question is quite simple: what is Canada's deficit?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Once again, we have been very clear with Canadians and with parliamentarians and we will continue to be clear. We have put forward a number of emergency programs to support families and workers. We will continue to—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
My question is very clear: what is Canada's deficit?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
We have put forward a number of investments, such as the emergency wage subsidy, the CERB—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Madam Chair, you cannot say that I did not try. As they say in baseball, three strikes and you are out. The government has still not provided clear information to Canadians. What is the deficit?
Perhaps now I will have a better chance of getting an answer: what have Canada's additional expenditures been since the beginning of the pandemic?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I will list the investments we have made since the beginning of the crisis through Canada's economic action plan to respond to COVID-19.
More than 2.5 million Canadian workers have had access to the wage subsidy. In terms of business accounts, 660,000 businesses have accessed—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Madam Chair, if Minister Fortier is so good with numbers, can she provide the specific number that Canadians want to hear?
How much has the government spent in the last three months?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
The question from the hon. member, whom I respect a great deal, means that I can continue to provide him with information.
We are continuing to help Canadians during the crisis. In May, we even added an amount to the Canada child benefit—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
How can we have confidence in the government if it does not know the amount of the deficit and how much it has spent since the pandemic began?
Let me ask the question again: how much money has the government spent since the pandemic began?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Let me continue. We have invested in young people and in seniors.
We would like to invest in those living with disabilities because that is very important. We cannot do so at the moment. So—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
But it is quite extraordinary that the government cannot do what the Parliamentary Budget Officer is doing. The Parliamentary Budget Officer is able to provide numbers for the deficit and for the expenditures.
Why is the government not able to do that?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Since the crisis began, we have invested in Canadians by means of programs that have helped them to pay their bills and support their families. We are going to continue to do that.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Madam Chair, the government has no control over its expenditures and no idea of the result.
I would like to ask the Minister one question. When will the economic update be given?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Once again, we have been very clear about that. In these extraordinary times, the government continues to be open and transparent. As soon as it is possible to provide an economic update—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Madam Chair, I cannot but applaud Minister Fortier's sense of humour. It makes no sense. She claims that the government has been clear about this, but it is anything but clear.
Why will the Government of Quebec be able to provide an economic update next week, but not Ottawa?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Let me repeat again: we have presented, in a clear and transparent way, the investments that we have made in Canadians. As soon as it is possible to provide clear projections, we—
Liberal
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Here is what we have learned today: we have no idea about the deficit, no idea about the expenditures that have been made and no idea about when the economic update will be tabled.
Does Canada have anyone in charge at the moment?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Once again, I am very proud to say that we have supported Canadians through this crisis and we will continue to do so.
Our priorities are their health and their ability to pay their bills at the end of the month. We will continue to—
