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

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Ms. Mathyssen.

12:45 p.m.

NDP

Lindsay Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Chair, I would like to present this e-petition. One of my young constituents, Haley Odegaard, presented this to me. I think it's timely considering just last week we were talking a lot about students in the House, and I hope we continue to talk about how we're going to help them.

This petition is in regard to the fact that over half of Canadian post-secondary students graduate with student loan debt. She indicates, and all the petitioners indicate, that millennials now account for 20% of Canada's population, and many aren't able to purchase homes, get married or have children due to this financial burden. An educated workforce is an advantage that should be viewed as an investment in our future, and higher education should be encouraged and not penalized.

The petitioners call on the Prime Minister and the government to eliminate interest on all outstanding and future federal student loans.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Seeing no one rising to present petitions, we will proceed to questions for ministers.

I would like to remind honourable members that no member shall be recognized for more than five minutes at a time, and that members may split their time with one or more members by so indicating it to the chair. I also wish to remind the ministers that their response should approximately reflect the time taken for the question.

Please note that, given the rapid exchanges at this point in the meeting, we will suspend proceedings every 45 minutes, to allow the employees who are providing support to the work of this meeting can replace each other in complete safety.

Mr. Scheer.

12:45 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Chair, small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. Moreover, the government is not providing the rent subsidy to those that have lost less than 70% of their income. Those that have lost 50% of their income are not entitled to the subsidy and perhaps will have to close their doors. The government is preventing the economy from reopening because of the nature of this program.

Is it ready to make changes that will make the program more generous and more flexible, in order to assist small businesses in need?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, we agree that small businesses are essential for the Canadian economy. That is why our government has implemented an economic program that is without precedent in Canadian history. We have done so to help all Canadians, including workers and businesses. We have specifically helped businesses to pay salaries. Small businesses can access loans of $40,000.

As for rent…

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Scheer, you have the floor.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Scheer Conservative Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

The problem, Mr. Chair, is that the cold-hearted nature with which they design these programs is forcing incredibly difficult choices on small business owners. For example, a small business owner who is told in the next few weeks that he or she is able to reopen at a reduced rate will face a very difficult decision of whether to operate at 50% of their revenues and lose the supports, or stay closed and be able to pay their rent with the subsidy program.

Why won't the government make these programs more generous and more flexible to facilitate the reopening of our economy?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, let me start by challenging the notion that our economic support has been in any way cold-hearted. I think all the members of this House really, really feel for Canadians. We know that this is an unprecedented time, without parallel since the Second World War, and I think all of us are working hard to support Canadians and Canadian companies.

Our economic support right now is at 11% of GDP. That is a lot of money going into the Canadian economy, and that is great. When it comes to flexibility for the support for small businesses, we have made some tweaks along the way—

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now go back to Mr. Scheer.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Scheer Conservative Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

The fact remains, Mr. Chair, that there are so many Canadians who are going to be facing incredibly difficult choices. The government has had this flagged for weeks now, and yet they have so far refused to change those programs. Someone who earns $1 more than $1,000 a month will lose the entire $2,000 emergency response benefit. That is certainly not generous. Conservatives believe these programs should be more flexible.

There are other examples of the government hurting Canada's response to this pandemic. The delay in approvals by Health Canada is forcing provinces and companies to look elsewhere for personal protective equipment. We know that the mass production of personal protective equipment is critical not only to the front-line health care workers, like nurses, doctors and support workers, but also to supporting the efforts to get people back to work safely.

Canada's small businesses have answered the call and are trying to meet this demand, but news reports indicate that they are running into government bureaucracy and red tape, since Health Canada has so far been unable to come up with a system that fast-tracks approvals. Why is the government slowing down the production of Canadian-made PPE?

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, the government is not slowing down the production of Canadian-made PPE. I, in fact, agree with the member opposite that the fact that Canada has preserved a strong manufacturing base, the fact that Canada's outstanding patriotic manufacturers are stepping up to support us, is fantastic. We are working so closely with those manufacturers. We are proud of their work.

I spoke last night to the CEO of Thornhill Medical in my own riding. They are making ventilators right now and have started to deliver them to Canada.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will continue with Mr. Blanchet.

12:50 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Scarcity breeds value, so it's going to be very valuable. I agree with the leader of the official opposition.

When we approved the parameters for the wage subsidy, the Bloc Québécois's support hinged upon the government providing support to cover some of the fixed costs of small businesses. To date, all we have seen is the rent assistance measure, but fixed costs include a lot more than just rent. The conditions are so restrictive that many small businesses still don't have access to any support. They are in panic mode, wondering how they will survive the crisis. I urge the government to honour the commitment it made and to even do more to help businesses with their fixed costs.

Let's talk about small businesses. During my press conference this morning, I talked about the lobster industry and the many small businesses that fall under the umbrella of tourism, including summertime arts events and research.

Will the government make a clear commitment today to extend the current programs as needed to keep pace with the reality facing businesses and the needs of Quebec and Canadian society, against the backdrop of this protracted crisis?

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

The government will commit to doing everything necessary to support Canadians, Quebeckers and the Canadian economy. It's impossible to predict today what exactly is going to happen with the coronavirus, but the Government of Canada will be there to support Canadians. We've already done a lot. Eleven per cent of GDP is a lot, and we will do everything necessary going forward.

12:50 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Chair, I was expecting a few more particulars in the Deputy Prime Minister's answer. It's just as vague as what the minister responsible for the Gaspé region tells people in the fishing and tourism industry when they ask her the the same question. When I talk to them, they don't know any specifics. More specific answers are needed; the clock is ticking. The government has been working on this a while now.

The situation the fishing and lobster industry is facing is alarming. Prices are going to be extremely low because the core markets aren't there. The pandemic is driving up expenditures, as is the case in every industry.

Tourism is an extremely diverse sector with specific needs. The programs are going to end before the tourist season even starts. Will the government make a clear commitment to establish new programs? People in the fishing and tourism industry need reassurance, and they need to know that they will be supported in the short term.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, my answer is twofold.

First, the member is right to say that the seasonal nature of the fisheries and tourism sectors makes them unique. We agree that has to be taken into account.

Second, I want to point out that we have already invested $675 million in our six regional development agencies, and we made such a large investment because the agencies provide assistance to fishing and tourism businesses in the regions.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Blanchet has enough time for a quick 30-second question.

12:55 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Given their revenue, Mr. Chair, businesses in the lobster fishery can't receive a $40,000 loan in the hope of repaying $30,000 the following year so they can have $10,000 of the loan forgiven.

Will the government adjust the proportion of loan forgiveness and the deadline for repayment to reflect their circumstances and really help them?

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable Deputy Prime Minister has about 30 seconds to answer.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, I will simply say that fisheries, including the lobster fishery, are a special case, and we are working on it.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now go to Mr. Singh.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

We know there is a return to work, and in some cases the work conditions are not adequate. Will the government confirm that if a worker refuses to do dangerous work because the conditions aren't adequate, that worker will still be able to access the CERB?

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Mr. Chair, no Canadian worker ever should feel compelled to work in dangerous conditions. That is particularly true today, when we know that conditions are particularly dangerous. This government will never do anything with our programs to force workers to make that kind of choice.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Singh.