Evidence of meeting #7 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 businesses.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I think what will happen as we do that is that we will allow ourselves to have a stronger economy at the end because of these investments.
Conservative
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
We have always seen, Mr. Chair, that these investments are not only supporting Canadians; they are supporting businesses so that we do have a strong economy and a strong fiscal position coming out of this.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Does the finance minister know the size of our national debt?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I will continue to focus our efforts, as we believe we should, on supporting Canadians through this time.
Conservative
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we are continuing to make investments that we believe are prudent in the face of this economic challenge, supporting Canadians as we know we need to.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
What is the total dollar value of all the public and private debt in Canada?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we know that by supporting Canadians, by continuing to make investments, we will enable Canadiens to have less debt themselves because that—
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
What is the total debt, public and private, as a share of GDP in Canada?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, the important consideration here is that the federal government is taking a position that we should support Canadians so that they don't take on the debt themselves.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Yet they have. They have record household debt, record corporate debt and growing government debt.
The finance minister doesn't seem to know any of the basic numbers that would be required to govern the finances of the Government of Canada, so I will give him one last chance.
Based on his latest briefings, what is the total size of Canada's national debt?
If he doesn't know, can he have the humility and honesty just to say so?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I want to thank the member for slightly more time in this response to say that we think the best thing to do during this time period is to invest in Canadians. We know that in that way they will not be supporting as much debt themselves.
The government is in a fiscal position that enables us to take on debt at this time, which we think is appropriate to get our economy to a better position at the end of this crisis. We think that's appropriate. We will continue to take that approach.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
The hon. government House leader is rising on a point of order.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I think we need to keep the interpreters in mind and the work they are doing, particularly when it comes to the flow and speed of questions. As the interpreters have already mentioned, they've suffered more injuries during this short time than during all of last year.
Mr. Chair, I kindly ask that you make sure members take that into account. Thank you.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
I'm not sure whether that constitutes a point of order, but it's certainly an important reminder for members of the House to respect interpreters' working conditions.
Please note that this is the end of our questions to ministers for this afternoon.
Honourable members, please note too that pursuant to an order made on April 20, the House has been recalled. As such, the committee will now adjourn and the House sitting will begin shortly thereafter. The bells will be rung to call in members, and a parade will begin the sitting.
This committee is now adjourned.