Evidence of meeting #4 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 crisis.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will go on to Mr. Duncan.

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It's good to see my colleagues here today. I hope everybody is keeping well both here in the chamber and across the country.

My questions for today are going to focus on the CRA and the upcoming tax deadline of June 1. Being about three and a half weeks away now, can the government advise what percentage of Canadians have completed their tax returns to date, and furthermore, if that number is above or below where we would normally be at this point?

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

As we know, our government understands that Canadians are going through a difficult time. That's why we're here to support them and why the agency has announced a series of relief measures for individuals and businesses for the 2019 tax season. Those relief measures include but are not limited to extending the deadline for filing income tax returns to June 1, 2020 and—

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

Mr. Chair, my reason for asking is that I'm growing increasingly concerned that too many, particularly lower-income Canadians who rely on volunteer clinics, are going to miss the deadline. I have concerns about the volume of filing still left outstanding and the lack of time for tax preparers and volunteers to complete those returns.

From a local Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry perspective, I am very fortunate to have a great group of volunteers in my constituency office through the community volunteer income tax program. That group last year completed nearly 6,000 returns. Now we rightfully suspended back in mid-March whenever the COVID crisis hit and we did our social distancing. The volunteers by that point had completed about 1,500. Normally they would have a month and a half to complete the other 4,500. However, there are millions of Canadians being advised to stay at home. Frankly, with the deadline approaching in three and a half weeks, I'm just concerned that we're in a similar situation in many parts of the country.

Is there any consideration to a further extension of the tax deadline to make sure people can get their taxes done?

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Chair, honestly, we are currently still bringing the current measures into action. Of course, we know these are unprecedented times. We will have to monitor it to see if we need to take this concern into consideration. Also, we know that Canadians are at home right now and want to do their taxes, but they will need some support, especially the most vulnerable who we know go to those tax clinics to get help doing their taxes.

We will take that into consideration and will be back to share those next steps.

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

The serious time crunch we have is not just from the tax deadline itself, but also from the renewal of benefits that come from Canadians filing their taxes. Every July, rates and payments for GST, HST, the guaranteed income supplement and the child tax benefit, among others, get recalculated. If someone is reliant on these benefits, we don't want to see them cut off. Benefits rates for many low-income Canadians renew in July. Millions of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque in normal circumstances, let alone during this pandemic.

Can the government assure Canadians that they won't be cut off their benefits in July if they can't get their taxes done safely and in time because of the overwhelming demand and the time remaining? Furthermore, is the government considering extending current benefit rates until August or September as a potential solution, to ensure there's no interruption of these much-needed benefits to Canadians now more than ever?

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm delighted to be given this opportunity to talk about the importance of delivering these benefits and what we've done in the last few weeks in terms of enhancing them. First is the Canada child tax benefit, which we put into place just a few years ago and which is benefiting 3.5 million families. The great news is that they are going to receive, on average, an additional $550 just a few weeks from now.

We're also very mindful of the importance of the increased GIS we put into place just a few months ago for seniors. We're also very mindful of the increase in the GST tax credit, which most low-income and modest-income seniors received just a few weeks ago. We'll keep working very hard to make sure not only that they have access to those benefits but also that they actually receive them.

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go on to Mr. Allison now.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Still too many small and medium-sized businesses are not getting any support from the government. They have been forced to shut the doors. They have no income and no sales, and now they have no hope but they still have expenses. The wage subsidy doesn't work because they have no staff; rent relief doesn't go far enough, and their fixed costs are high.

What is the government going to do for these businesses that have given up everything, sacrificed everything and are currently at risk of losing everything?

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Chair, since day one we have been providing immediate help to businesses in need through programs such as the Canada emergency wage subsidy and the Canada emergency business account. However, it has become clear that certain sectors of the economy and their workers may not qualify for existing measures. That's why we have been taking additional action to provide immediate relief to innovators and young entrepreneurs, and businesses in rural communities.

I will be continue after he asks me his next question.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Mr. Chair, the pandemic has been hard on the small business community that employs many Canadians. Small business owners continue to struggle and many don't qualify for any government help. Sole proprietors in my riding, such as landscapers and greenhouses, were deemed non-essential and forced to close their doors as part of the fight against this virus. To be eligible, these businesses are being asked by government to have a business account. Many owners have operated with a personal bank account for years.

Will the government expand its criteria to allow these small business owners to qualify for CEBA loans and stay open?

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Our government recognizes that sole proprietors own good small businesses and offer good jobs to Canadians. We have therefore put in place measures to support them through this crisis that will help provide cash flow during this challenging time, including the Canada emergency response benefit, the loan guarantee and the co-lending program, as well as the Canada emergency commercial rent assistance. We will continue to work with those businesses that are falling through the cracks.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Mr. Chair, recently the government announced over $600 million of aid to Canadian media, including tax credits to help the sector during this pandemic. The government has been a joke when it comes to transparency, however, on where all the money has gone. I can tell you that the local publications in Niagara West haven't received a dime. In rural ridings like mine, these local papers are essential to keep folks informed about our community.

Will the minister commit today to make help available to small community publications like those in my riding of Niagara West?

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

Steven Guilbeault Liberal Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

In fact, we have already started deploying money to regional and local newspapers and media across the country. Earlier on, I specified a $30-million aid package that has gone to media, to more than 900 newspapers across the country and 500 radio and TV stations across the country in 12 different languages, including French, English and Inuktitut.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Mr. Chair, currently the government is seeking a negotiated settlement of the WTO wine challenge by Australia. There is a concern that the Canadian wine industry will lose the federal excise exemption, which will risk the future of hundreds of wineries and grape growers across Canada.

This is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has a negative impact on winery tourism, is closing retail channels and has created a significant revenue losses for vintners in my riding and across Canada. In light of these two threats, will the government implement an industry-proposed wine grower value-add program to replace the excise exemption?

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable Deputy Prime Minister.

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I would like to thank the member for that very important question. I think everyone who is aware of the wine industry and the trade issues that it faces is aware of the seriousness of the Australia wine challenge, and it is absolutely the case that both the industry and the government are going to have to adapt in this new environment. I think we need to work together to do that.

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Allison, a very brief question.

1:30 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Mr. Chair, absolutely.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced three-quarters of the wineries in the Niagara region to lay off staff. Half of them have been temporarily closed because of their operations. This is about to get worse with the loss of the excise exemption, creating a bigger crisis for the entire Canadian wine industry.

The proposed wine growers' value-add program is trade legal and would provide immediate support at little additional cost. Will the government agree to implement this program?

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Chair, as we are in unprecedented times, we know that we have put forth an economic emergency plan to support workers, Canadians and businesses, and we are continuing to look at how we can continue to support these businesses that are in very hard times. I look forward to working with my honourable colleague to find those solutions and bring them forward.

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now take a very short break, for probably about 45 seconds, to allow our console operator to switch over safely in these times of COVID-19.

1:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès (Brossard—Saint-Lambert, Lib.)) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

Order, please. We will now resume.

Ms. Larouche has the floor.

1:30 p.m.

Bloc

Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair.

With society aging, a larger part of the population is vulnerable, not just physically, but also financially. What's more, growing senior poverty affects women, in particular, since there are significantly more senior women. In 2015, women made up 55% of those aged 65 or older. They tend to live longer and account for the majority of caregivers.

It's appropriate, then, to look at the measures that have been announced since the crisis began with a critical eye. Unfortunately, none of them has done much to improve conditions for seniors, even though the Prime Minister keeps saying that he wants to announce measures to help them.

In a time of crisis like this, isn't it beyond necessary to immediately raise the monthly pension benefit by $110 for those 65 or older and to enhance the guaranteed income supplement?