Yes.
Evidence of meeting #6 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 seniors.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #6 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 seniors.
A video is available from Parliament.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Ms. Joly, you have to switch to the French channel and turn on your microphone.
1:10 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Yes, I look forward to working with my fellow member on this issue. I know the tourism sector is important to him and, especially, his constituents. Let's work together to find ways to get this hard-hit sector moving again. Many people have lost their jobs and need assistance from the government. That is why we're here, providing a helping hand at this difficult time so they can come out the other side.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Continuing with questions, we'll go to the honourable member for Saskatoon—University, Mr. Tochor.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Good afternoon, everybody.
With respect to entering Canada, does the government consider spousal reunification as essential travel, yes or no?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
The CBSA has exercised the appropriate discretion in determining when a non-Canadian citizen, who has no status in Canada, attempts to enter the country for any consideration considered non-essential. They are turned back because we have restrictions in place for non-essential travel.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Respectfully to the minister, you're letting down Canadians. People are being stranded, and you need to do better as a government.
Changing gears a little, all Canadians would agree, or can agree, that the Prime Minister requires suitable accommodation. Why did the government simply not tell Canadians that the Harrington cottage needed to be rebuilt and massively expanded?
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
I would ask the honourable members to direct their questions through the chair.
The honourable minister.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anita Anand Liberal Oakville, ON
The NCC is an independent Crown corporation. It recognizes the importance of the official residences it has jurisdiction over. The work at Harrington Lake is part of a broader program to preserve and maintain and restore all official residences under NCC management, and we will support the NCC in its important work.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Was there something in particular that this government did not want Canadians to know about the cottage, or is secrecy all this government knows how to do?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anita Anand Liberal Oakville, ON
Mr. Chair, this information was and has been public since 2018. There is no effort to hide any information from the public in this regard.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Respectfully, Canadians feel misled on this, and we're not clear on what the expenses were, how large an expansion it was—
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I believe this has absolutely nothing to do with the pandemic, so the questions are out of order, in my opinion.
Thank you.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
I thank the honourable government House leader for his comment.
Certainly the scope of the special committee on the COVID-19 pandemic does expect and anticipate that the subject matter will be related to the matter at hand, so I would ask honourable members to continue to keep within those bounds.
Of course, members will also know that we're unable to gauge that until members have spoken, so I would ask members to keep on subject.
Let's go back to Mr. Tochor to finish his question, and we have about two minutes remaining in this spot.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Yes, thank you, Chair.
The point I was making was about transparency or lack of transparency that is hurting our efforts with COVID-19.
Changing gears onto CERB, who came up with the number for CERB? Why is it $2,000? A senior gets $1,200, people with disabilities get $1,600, and now we've added another ad hoc program on top of those.
I'd like to know a little more about how and who came up with those unique numbers.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC
Working collaboratively between ESDC and the Department of Finance, we determined that that would be an appropriate amount, based on what workers were earning and what we anticipated they would need to live on, and what we anticipated they would be losing by way of employment income.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
I have a really quick question, which I've heard in my office, on charities and non-profits that do not have their own payroll number and are ineligible for the wage subsidy.
Does the Prime Minister have a program fix coming so that charities and non-profits can receive the wage subsidy?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Chair, we understand the important role that charities and non-profits are playing to help vulnerable Canadians at this difficult time. We have announced supports in the amount of $350 million to ensure that not only do they continue that great work, but also expand it to serve the most vulnerable to get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay. We will move to the next questioner, Mr. Aboultaif from Edmonton Manning.
Mr. Aboultaif, go ahead with your question.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, last week markets were shocked when leaks regarding the state of our economy came to light before the market even opened. This caused worry to investors at home and abroad about the integrity of our markets and the nature of the leak, which is, in itself, unprecedented.
Section 34 of the Statistics Act indicates the following:
Every person who, after taking the oath set out in subsection 6(1), is guity of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars or to impreisonment for a term not exceeing five years or both:
(a) wilfully discloses or divulges directly or indirectly to any person not entitled under this Act to receive the same any information obtained by him in the course of his employment that might exert an influence on or affect the market value of any stocks, bonds or other security or any product or article, or
(b) uses any information described in paragraph (a) for the purpose of speculating in any stocks, bonds or other security or any product or article
My question for the minister is this: Does the government consider this case to be subject to paragraph 34(a) or 34(b) and a criminal offence, yes or no?