COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 7th, 2020

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Mr. Chair, I do understand. Yes, I will confirm that CUPE, which represents the flight attendants, did write to us. Before that I had conversations with CUPE with respect to flight attendants and the use of personal protective equipment.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Can the minister confirm whether or not they have provided PPE to the flight attendants and/or training for front-line staff for airlines and airports?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Mr. Chair, the airlines are providing PPE to flight attendants and flight crews. This has become a policy to ensure the safety not only of passengers on board but also of the flight attendants and flight crew.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Chair, a business owner from Quesnel wrote to my office recently. He stated that he couldn't give his small business tenants a break on rent because the government is penalizing him for paying off his mortgage.

When will the government change the CECRA rules to help more businesses?

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

Mr. Chair, as you know, we laid out the CECRA program just last week, and we are encouraging landlords to take that opportunity to support the renters. We will continue to look at how we can provide some relief to small businesses with rents.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

With all due respect, Mr. Chair, any landlord who does not have a mortgage on their business is ineligible for CECRA.

Is the minister aware of this, and are they trying to revise the CECRA program?

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

As you know, we've been working with provinces and territories to present that program. Of course, we will continue to monitor how this program works for landlords and tenants.

We are asking, actually encouraging, landlords to do their part and help tenants, like the one you mentioned, go through this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go to the next questioner. Go ahead, Ms. Dancho.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Small businesses in Manitoba employ 73% of Manitobans. That's over 286,000 Manitobans. I've been speaking with many small business owners in my riding. It's been heartbreaking, frankly, to hear that everything they've built and sacrificed for is in serious jeopardy, and through no fault of their own. Your government has created programs that are supposed to help them, but many legitimate businesses aren't able to apply. That could mean bankruptcy and cost thousands of Manitobans jobs. This is wrong. I'm hoping to hear specifics, not just nice words, on what you're going to do to help them.

There are three issues regarding access to the $40,000 CEBA loan. First, businesses that recently incorporated—for example, in late 2019—are unable to apply their entire 2019 payroll. As a result, many are falling short of the $20,000 payroll threshold required to qualify for this loan. Second, many businesses contract their employees rather than have them on payroll. They also are unable to qualify for this loan. Third, many businesses use personal rather than business banking accounts. They aren't able to qualify for this loan either.

What is your government going to do about these three scenarios?

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to remind honourable members to place their questions through the Chair and not directly to the minister.

As well, please take into consideration the interpreters, who have to listen and translate, so that we can have this conversation.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I want to thank the honourable member for that question. Right from the very beginning, we've always said that we will listen and that we will work to make sure that measures go out to help our Canadian small businesses. She's absolutely right: 98% of all our businesses in this country are small businesses, so they absolutely contribute enormously to our communities and are job creators.

That is why we have put out significant measures. For the Canada emergency business account, over 550,000 small businesses have been approved and are getting that support.

I absolutely acknowledge that there is more work to do. I can assure the honourable member that we will continue to do this work so that businesses, all businesses, are supported, whether it is helping keep your employees together, helping with rent support, helping to keep your business's expenses low, or of course helping with the capital that is needed so that you can pay your operating expenses and your bills through this difficult time.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Chair, I didn't hear any answers from the minister's remarks, unfortunately.

Moving on, there are two issues regarding the 50% commercial rent assistance subsidy, where landlords pay 25%, the government pays 50%, and the tenant is responsible for 25%. First, many of the small landlords aren't able to take a 25% hit to their income, and are unable to provide the subsidy to their tenants. Second, with the 70% decline in revenue threshold for small businesses to even be eligible for the rent assist, many restaurants are at 65% or 67% decline. They desperately need this subsidy but aren't able to qualify.

This is not about problems with the program details. What is the government planning to do to streamline this program for small businesses that can't access but desperately need the rent subsidy?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Chair, as the Minister of Official Languages, I just want to raise the fact that interpretation is very complicated right now. In order to make sure that we can continue to uphold bilingualism within the House, I would love it if my colleagues could take down the pace a bit.

That would help the interpreters a whole lot. They are working very hard and trying to keep up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

That's a reasonable request.

I just want to remind everyone again that when you're asking a question, make sure you are doing it at a pace at which you're considering the people who are interpreting—

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Chair, this is how fast I speak when we're in the House of Commons. It's just how I talk.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I understand. I have a lot of friends who speak very quickly.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Right. I understand.

Perhaps we could get back to my question about the rent subsidy.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We stopped the time. You're not losing any time on this one.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Okay. I will try to speak more slowly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I appreciate it. Thank you. The interpreters appreciate it.

Now we'll go to the minister, please.

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

As you know, we've been working with the provinces and territories to provide this forgivable loan to commercial property owners, who in turn lower the rent of their tenants by 75%. We will continue to monitor how this program is delivered, as we announced it last week. It will be offered pretty soon. It will be very important that we understand what happens across the country, and we will monitor and adapt the program as we—

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Chair, it has been in the media quite a bit that this rent subsidy is not helping many, many, many small business owners. It's falling short of everything that was announced, so I think it needs to be taken a bit more seriously than that.

There are two issues regarding the 75% wage subsidy. First, employers who pay themselves and their employees dividends rather than wages are unable to qualify. Second, there is also a 30% threshold revenue decline needed in order to apply. Many of the businesses in my riding are at 27% or 29%. They desperately need these funds but are unable to qualify.

What is the government planning to do for these small businesses?

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

Again, thank you to the hon. member for sharing the realities she's hearing from small business owners. We are providing help and support for businesses through these very difficult times. The wage subsidy has been taken up and is working for many businesses. We know that some still fall through the cracks and we will look at how we can continue to support businesses across the country.

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

We are now going to Mr. Kevin Waugh.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Three weeks ago, on April 17, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced funding of $500 million to assist Canada's arts, sports and cultural sectors. We are still waiting to hear who is eligible and when they can expect to receive this funding.