COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 7th, 2020

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Well, Mr. Chair, again there was no specific “thank you” to Taiwan.

The Government of Taiwan has been the world leader in successfully fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. We have a lot to learn from them and their response. Sadly, the People's Republic of China continues to oppose Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization.

Will the minister now do the right thing and assure Canadians that he will fully support efforts to grant Taiwan membership in the World Health Organization?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank the member. As a former trade minister, he's very well aware of Canada's one China policy.

That said, we support Taiwan to continue meaningful participation in international multilateral forums, particularly when it comes to health. This is a global good, and we want to support every nation. We recognize that Taiwan and others have been doing very well in fighting this pandemic.

We also believe that Taiwan's role as an observer in the World Health Assembly meeting is of interest to the international health community and we have been supportive of that.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Chair, I'm going to pivot to repatriation flights.

The minister has publicly said that over 20,000 stranded Canadians have been repatriated from abroad. Can he tell us exactly how many Canadians remain abroad who have expressed a desire to be repatriated?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Yes, Mr. Chair, I am very happy to update members.

As of today, we have repatriated more than 20,000 Canadians on 232 flights from 87 countries. I would say that this is team Canada, and it knows no parties. Many members have written to me to make sure that we take care.

It's not an exact science. We have, as I said, repatriated thousands and thousands. We continue, because we know there are still pockets of Canadian travellers who are stranded abroad. As the Prime Minister and I have said from the beginning, we will make our best effort to repatriate everyone who wants to come back home during the crisis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go on to Mr. Moore now.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Chair, Canadians need to have faith in their justice system, even in a time of crisis. My office has received correspondence from Canadians concerned that trial delays due to COVID-19 may result in criminals walking free.

As this government has been working overtime to criminalize law-abiding citizens with new and useless gun laws, will the Minister of Justice ensure that real criminals will not walk free as a result of delays in the justice system?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Chair, I thank the honourable member for his question.

We have been working with my provincial counterparts across Canada, as well as with the various federal courts and also, through my provincial counterparts, with the superior courts and courts of appeal across Canada. Each particular jurisdiction has taken measures to ensure that basic essential services within the court system are maintained, through a variety of means, and we believe that we will be able to solve these various challenges.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Chair, the regional relief and recovery fund was announced weeks ago as a way to help small and medium-sized businesses in rural communities, like those in my riding. In Atlantic Canada, these funds were to be distributed to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. This is yet another announcement with no details from this Liberal government.

Can the minister clarify whether we are days away or weeks away from this support flowing to the businesses that need it so desperately?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages]

Mr. Chair, I had the chance to talk with many of the chambers of commerce and business owners throughout Atlantic Canada, and we hear their anxiety. That's why ACOA's doing great work on the ground to make sure we can help them through this very difficult period.

The member is right. We have increased the budget of ACOA—good news—and I'll be coming up with the details very soon. It will be a pleasure to collaborate with him to make sure that we can help many businesses and business owners across the Atlantic region.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Chair, my office has heard from many small business owners who have reached out to me. I know many have reached out to many of my colleagues and probably to all of us here today. They are frustrated by the eligibility requirements for some of the federal programs. In particular, they are unable to access the emergency business account, because they do not have a payroll. This could be the hair salon in my riding that subcontracts out its chairs. There are hundreds and thousands of small businesses in this very situation, vital small businesses in our communities, but they do not meet this requirement.

These businesses, many of them, are weeks away from shutting down permanently. What does the Minister of Finance have to say to these small businesses that are suffering right now?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Small Business]

Mr. Chair, I want to thank my honourable colleague for that really important question. I want all the businesses that he is talking about and all of them throughout the country to know that we continue to work very hard to make sure they're supported through this difficult period. More work needs to be done, and we will continue to do that work.

We know that businesses are being supported through getting access to the wage subsidy to keep their employees together, and they're getting help, whether it's with rent or to defray costs by deferring GST and HST or customs duty payments. We're going to continue to work with all our businesses across the country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go to Mr. Moore for a brief question. You have less than 20 seconds, please.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Chair, it's a very specific issue. There are small businesses, thousands of them, that do not have a payroll. Some have a personal account that they've dealt with over the years rather than a business account, and that makes them ineligible. These businesses need help right now.

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

I agree with the honourable member. Those businesses absolutely need support from us. We are going to keep working to ensure they are supported.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go to Mr. Cumming next.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, small businesses are concerned about their ability to survive, and no amount of deferrals, loans or subsidies can substitute for their need to be open and servicing their customers.

Can the government confirm that a sectoral risk analysis has taken place to assist the provinces in reopening the economy?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Chair, I can assure the member that we've been very clear in terms of our strategy around reopening the economy. We need to make sure that we follow the advice of the experts and the health authorities to do so in a manner that does not compromise the health and well-being of Canadians. We of course will have a sectoral lens, and as you can see by some of the initiatives and the support packages we've put forward—

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go back to Mr. Cumming now.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, thousands of business owners make a living and utilize dividends as their salary. They also use independent contractors.

Can the government confirm that the programs currently in place will be expanded to these hard-working Canadians?

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

Mr. Chair, I want to assure the honourable member that we continue to work with all of our small businesses and I want to thank him for raising this very important issue. I want to assure our Canadian small businesses that we are going to continue to do this work to make sure they are supported.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Can the minister give me a date when she will be able to announce to these businesses that they will be eligible?

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

I want to assure our Canadian small businesses of their importance and of the importance of their contributions to all of our communities. I want them to know that we continue to listen and that we will ensure that they are supported and continue to be supported during this difficult time.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Minister, they need more than assurance. Can you give me a date when I can tell these thousands of businesses they will be supported if they pay dividends or if they use contractors within their businesses?

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

Mr. Chair, these businesses are absolutely important and are getting support through a range of means. We will continue to work with these businesses to make sure they are supported through this difficult period.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, I spoke to a Second Cup owner whose landlord is not offering any kind of rent relief. The landlord says that he doesn't have the 25% needed to be eligible for the program because he's already paying for common area costs and deferrals on utilities, which he will have to pay on his mortgage.

Will the government reform the rent relief program to focus on tenants and not just the landlords?