COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 6th, 2020

[Nelly Shin, Conservative, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I would just like to add that these asks have been coming for a long time. They're getting very desperate, so I hope the response will be very quick.

Despite CECRA, many businesses are still challenged with paying rent because landlords are opting not to participate. Recent surveys show that only one in five landlords are opting in. Will the Minister of Finance amend CECRA to incentivize more landlords to participate so that Canadian businesses can survive?

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

Mr. Chair, that was another great question by the member. This is an unprecedented challenge, and I know that many businesses are having to make sacrifices that they never imagined they would need to. Our government is encouraging landlords to do their part and help tenants, as in your example, to get through this. Many landlords have already stepped up to the plate. We will continue to encourage with the program we've set up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We now move on to Mr. Martel.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Chair, as we all know, the price per tonne of aluminum is at an all-time low. We expect the government to strongly defend aluminum workers. A low-carbon buying policy is needed to protect our aluminum industry. Will the government be announcing specific measures to support those workers?

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

Our government is committed to defending aluminum workers and the sector. Beyond the support under CUSMA, we have strengthened our anti-dumping rules. We've also put new tools at the disposal of the Canada Border Services Agency so it can determine whether aluminum is being dumped in Canada. Lastly, we've created a new oversight regime for imports—

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. Mr. Martel has the floor.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Chair, owners of sole proprietorships and partnerships such as farms, day cares and hair salons are largely paid through dividends or income splitting. These businesses still aren't eligible for the Canada emergency business account.

Since the government recognizes dividends as qualifying income under the Canada emergency response benefit, does it plan to change the eligibility criteria so that these businesses can apply?

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

Mr. Chair, our government recognizes that sole proprietorships are good businesses that provide good jobs for Canadians, and we have introduced measures to help them cope with the crisis, including providing access to cash at this difficult time. We will continue rolling out programs that support sole proprietorships.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Chair, the Canada emergency student benefit has forced many employers to contend with bribery when it comes to students working part time and wanting to receive the $1,250 monthly benefit.

What incentives is the government going to offer to encourage students to return to work as part of the economic recovery?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank the member for his question, because it gives me the opportunity to say that Canada is proud of students. We are also very proud of their work and their contribution to human capital. We are proud of the energy and ambition they bring to Canada.

We have no doubt that they are going to work very hard if they have the opportunity to do so in the coming months.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Chair, yesterday, the government announced federal assistance in the amount of $252 million for Canadian farmers, even though the Canadian Federation of Agriculture was calling for emergency funding in the amount of $2.6 billion. Dairy farmers have had to dump thousands of litres of milk down the drain because processors don't have enough people to do the work.

Is the government truly going to help farmers and dairy producers, instead of just talking about it?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Chair, dairy producers are coping with decreased demand mainly as a result of restaurants and hotels shutting down. Thanks to the Canadian Dairy Commission, farmers are able to manage, purchase and store dairy products. We are going to make a legislative change to increase the commission's lending capacity—I hope with the support of the opposition members.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

In my riding, Mr. Chair, many people's jobs depend on tourism, including the cruise ship industry. The Saguenay Fjord and surrounding villages are a premier destination for tourists. Our agri-food products are worthy of being served by top chefs.

How does the government plan to help the tourism industry?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, we know the tourism industry has been hard hit by COVID-19. It was among the first to feel the impact, for that matter. We are in constant contact with industry stakeholders. Since the beginning of the crisis, we've been in contact with the provincial and territorial tourism ministers, as well as industry representatives.

On top of all the measures my fellow members mentioned, our government invested $675 million in our six regional development agencies and $287 million in the network of community futures development corporations to help businesses, especially those in the tourism sector.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will now go to Mr. Williamson.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Chair, confusion is spreading among hunters and farmers over the government's firearms ban. The government's regulations prohibit many modern 10-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns with removable chokes because they exceed the maximum bore diameter of 20 millimetres, as outlined by the government.

The minister issued a statement last night that the Liberals are not banning these commonly used shotguns, but isn't this an empty public relations gesture since judges and police officers will enforce what is written in law and not what the minister writes on his Facebook page?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chair, I really appreciate the efforts that some are making to confuse this issue, but the reality is crystal clear. The government, under prohibitions of military-style assault weapons, has not banned 10-gauge shotguns which have a bore capacity of 19.69 millimetres, which is under 20, nor 12-gauge shotguns which have a bore capacity of 18.53 millimetres, which is obviously under 20. The threading of those weapons for the affixation of a choke in no way changes the nature of that firearm. They will not be prohibited.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Chair, why then are lawyers raising this? Why is the National Post writing about this? Why is the local newspaper in my riding, The Saint Croix Courier, telling bird hunters to be careful about going out this weekend with these commonly used firearms, shotguns?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chair, people who sell weapons that are designed to kill people are very concerned about the impact. In order to garner greater public support for their weapons, they're frightening farmers and hunters, none of whom will be impacted by the measures we implemented.

I'll repeat one more time, 10-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns are not prohibited under this order in council.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Chair, in the minister's experience, do law enforcement officials enforce the laws and rules and regulations as they are written, or do they enforce what a politician might say or write on his Facebook page?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Having spent 40 years as a police officer and 10 years as a chief, and having worked with literally tens of thousands of police officers over those decades, I can tell you that the police officers know their jobs. They are trained in the law and they know what is and is not covered under the law.

We have been very clear. This does not cover 10-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns. The police will understand that. They know how to do their jobs. I trust them.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Chair, the Deputy Prime Minister told the House last week that she holds former Liberal MP Irwin Cotler in high regard after he blamed Communist China for the scale and spread of COVID-19. Mr. Cotler also likened Beijing's cover-up to the Chernobyl disaster in the former Soviet Union. As well, the Deputy Prime Minister agreed that democracies are more transparent and accountable than totalitarian governments.

Why then has Ottawa not joined Australia and other democracies in calling for an investigation of Beijing's reporting of COVID-19?

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

Mr. Chair, I very much hold Irwin Cotler in high regard, as I think every member of the House does. I don't think I agreed that democracies are more transparent than authoritarian regimes. I think I said they were and maybe others agreed with me, which is good because we are a democracy.

When it comes to looking into how we got here with coronavirus, we absolutely agree that it is going to be very important to have a review. Our Minister of International Development spoke about that with Dr. Tedros of the WHO—

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

The Chinese Communist Party is critical of a decision by MPs to formally summon a Canadian World Health Organization adviser to testify before Parliament's health committee. As well, Beijing is pressuring other nations to dismiss these investigations.

Will the health minister urge WHO officials to co-operate with our Parliament to understand the international agency's handling of COVID-19?

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

Let me just say to that, Mr. Chair, that no country in the world has any business telling Canadian parliamentarians and Canadian parliamentary committees what they can and cannot do. We are a sovereign country and a sovereign democracy. I think all of us are rightly proud of that.