COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 5th, 2020

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

This is a tough time for Canadians, and our government is doing everything it can to support them. More than 7 million Canadians have applied for the Canada emergency response benefit, which the Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada administer.

I want to say how proud I am of the work the agency is doing; staff worked tirelessly to get the program up and running in record time. Minister Qualtrough is responsible for developing the eligibility criteria and processing the claims.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We are moving on to the next question.

We'll continue now with Mr. Bragdon.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question today is for the Prime Minister.

Potato farmers in New Brunswick and across Canada are sitting on massive stores of potatoes that were destined for the restaurant industry, but due to the pandemic, they now have no customers. It's estimated that there is $300 million worth of potatoes still sitting in storage.

What is the Prime Minister's plan for the helping farmers offload these potatoes so that they are ready for the 2020 season?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think all of us as Canadians are proud of the great potato farmers across the country. We are aware that the coronavirus, by keeping us away from restaurants where we eat french fries, has had a profound effect on the market for potatoes.

The program announced today by the Prime Minister and my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, will be very helpful for potato farmers, including with the surplus food program that starts with a $50 million fund, and that—

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go back to Mr. Bragdon now.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Chair, thank you.

With an estimated $300 million worth of potatoes in storage, the announced funding from the government today simply doesn't go far enough.

In 2018 the New Brunswick potato industry lost over $20 million. It is estimated this year that the financial loss will exceed $40 million. For many producers still recovering from the hit they took in 2018, another major loss is totally unacceptable.

How does the Prime Minister plan to mitigate these shortfalls and allow farmers to continue to grow the food we so desperately need?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, the honourable member spoke about farmers generally. The program today is $252 million, which comes on top of the broad range of other programs that farmers, of course, have access to.

On potato farmers, in particular, I agree with the honourable member that this is a specific area of concern. I think all Canadians would like to see those potatoes not be wasted but be used, and that's why the $50 million for surplus food purchase is going to be so helpful.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Chair, farmers across all agricultural sectors are hurting during this pandemic. The $16-billion beef industry is expected to take a massive hit due to the closures and reduced production of the meat-packing plants.

Does the government truly believe that the announced $125 million that is shared between beef, poultry and pork producers will be enough to support these multi-billion dollar industries so they can put food on the tables of Canadians?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I absolutely agree with the honourable member that our beef, pork and poultry producers are absolutely essential for our country.

I am very pleased as a Canadian that we have security that comes from being a country that produces not only enough food for ourselves, but also enough food to feed the world. That is why the $125 million specifically to support our beef, pork and poultry producers is going to be so helpful.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Chair, the government's announcement of $252 million for the agriculture sector falls well short of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture's request for immediate government relief for farmers. The president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Mary Robinson, put it today something like this: that if the farmhouse is on fire, the government has offered the equivalent of a bucket of water. This will not go nearly far enough to help those in a desperate situation.

Does the government have a plan to offer more than just crumbs to keep the vital agriculture sector operating and providing the food we so desperately need? When will the government finally make those who literally keep our land and grow our food a priority in this time of crisis?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I don't know about the honourable member, but where I come from, $252 million is not just crumbs. I know that Canadian farmers don't feel that $252 million is nothing, either.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight two other aspects of the essential support for farmers that we announced today: the $77 million to support food processors, which will not only be important for the processors, but helpful for the farmers who produce products that go to them; and the $250 million that we would like to add to the Canadian Dairy Commission's line of credit to raise it to half a billion dollars, which will be very helpful to our essential dairy farmers.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Now we'll go to the next question. Go ahead, Mrs. Wagantall.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Chair, a couple in my riding has had to shut down their business, and they are on CERB. They were shocked when their 16-year-old son also qualified, and he is receiving $8,000 on the basis of part-time work throughout the school year. Why is the government handing out a windfall to teenagers who are living at home while denying university students and ignoring seniors on fixed incomes?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, any individual who has lost work for COVID reasons is eligible for the CERB, regardless of their personal circumstances. If you made $5,000 in the past year and are a resident of Canada, you qualify for the CERB. This is not a matter of differentiating between the personal circumstances of individuals but of acknowledging that many workers in different situations have lost their work or have had their work significantly reduced because of COVID.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Clearly, high school students would not have the same needs as university students and our seniors who are suffering at this time.

The government's own findings on banning handguns and assault firearms state, “In all cases the data does not conclusively demonstrate that these handgun or assault weapon bans have led to reductions in gun violence”. Why is the Prime Minister so bent on penalizing law-abiding firearms owners when he should be focusing on funding our CBSA officers first, giving them the resources they need to seize smuggled firearms at our borders?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chair, I note with some interest that when we brought forward legislation in a budget in the last two years to increase the number of officers at the border, the member opposite voted against it. I'm very pleased to hear that she now supports it.

Let us be very clear. The evidence is overwhelming that these weapons are designed to be used, and have been used, to kill innocent people. Countries that adopt sensible gun policies—places like New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom—have all recognized that there's no place for these weapons in a civil society. We promised Canadians that we would act on that concern. There have been far too many people killed with these weapons, and even most recently, to honour and respect the terrible tragedy in Nova Scotia, the time to act is now, and we've acted.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Last week the Minister of Agriculture said, “Step by step we are giving our farmers...the tools they need to continue their...work.”

On April 30, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture called on the minister to create a $2.6-billion fund “to maintain food security in Canada”. This morning, the Prime Minister announced $252 million, hit-and-miss, across the agriculture sector. With all due respect, this is a slap in the face to our farmers and the agri-food sector. Instead of being here to speak to this announcement, the minister has chosen to do a press conference. This certainly reveals how seriously the minister takes this virtual sitting and parliamentary accountability.

If the deputy minister is going to answer the question in her place, how does she see it is right to be providing $9 billion to students and only crumbs to our agriculture sector?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, first of all, let me say I do not, as has now been suggested by two members opposite, consider it in any way shameful that I should be answering questions about our support for the agricultural sector. Our government strongly supports our farmers. I have to say I personally very strongly support our farmers and have a strong personal connection to them.

The $252 million of support is real and meaningful, and it is directed exactly where it is needed. It is directed at food processors, beef and pork producers and the dairy sector.

As to the question about students, let me just point out that farm kids are students too, and farm kids will be benefiting from the support for students. I know they, their parents and grandparents are very—

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Time is up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Mr. Lehoux, the next question goes to you.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Meat packing plants like Quebec-based Olymel are extremely worried that they won't be able to stay open throughout the pandemic. In the summer, these plants rely on students to do overtime and fill in for full-time employees on vacation. However, the Canada emergency student benefit makes it possible for these much-needed workers to stay home while still collecting the same amount of money. That's why the government must adjust its current summer job program for students in the agriculture and agri-food sectors.

When is the government going to make these critical changes?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

I can assure you that we are doing our best efforts to not disincentivize work. We know we need to support students with income support, but we also need to create jobs. We are looking at ways we can create additional jobs through Canada summer jobs, through the—

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

There is a point of order.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Chair, what the minister is saying is not being interpreted.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll just check to see how the technology is going.

Is everything okay now?