COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 14th, 2020

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Mr. Chair, I know that there's been a lot of consultation on our plan, which will be rolled out shortly. Since the people whom the member has referenced are from Manitoba, I will reach out to them personally and make sure that they are consulted.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Mr. Barsalou-Duval, you have the floor.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Since mid-March, thousands of Quebeckers whose flights were cancelled have been forced to accept a simple 24-month travel credit as compensation. In Europe and the United States, this practice is prohibited. Carriers are required to reimburse their customers. Here, on the contrary, the practice is even encouraged by the Canadian Transportation Agency. However, the government has been advised by Option consommateurs that this practice contravenes the Civil Code. For his part, the Minister of Transport remains completely silent.

Why does he tolerate airlines confiscating the money that people need to pay their bills?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

I fully understand the frustration of people who would have liked a refund instead of a credit. However, our priority over the last nine weeks has been to help those Canadians who need it the most, those who have lost their jobs, small and medium-sized businesses, students and seniors. That is what we have focused on.

Having said that, we must also face the facts: the airlines are in trouble right now. They have lost 95% of their revenue, but they still have fixed costs to pay. The situation is very difficult, but I understand the frustration of people who would have liked a refund.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Chair, it is important to keep in mind that some of the people who were denied reimbursement have also lost their jobs.

This week, we learned that Export Development Canada offered Air Canada a generous sum of $788 million in assistance. That amount is not to be laughed at. It does not include the 75% wage subsidy that the company is receiving.

I would like to know why the minister did not take that opportunity to require that, in return, the company reimburse the thousands of Quebeckers who are being held hostage by those travel credits.

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

It is important to also understand that the airlines have lost 95% of their revenue. Some of them have stopped all their flights, but they still have fixed costs. Air Canada is losing more than $20 million a day because its flights are interrupted. The situation is very difficult, even with the measures that the government has put in place.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

To give you the exact information, according to some analysts, Air Canada has enough cash to cover several months and the situation is not very urgent. In fact, according to those analysts, the company had more than $6 billion in cash over the past few months.

I understand that the airlines may need help, but can they reimburse the average people who have paid for their airfare and need that money to pay their bills?

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

Once again, I understand the frustration of people who would have liked a refund rather than a credit for a future flight.

At the same time, we in the government must ensure that, once the pandemic is over and the economy recovers, companies will be able to resume providing the air services that are so important to our country.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

In its financial statements as of March 31, Air Canada had $2.6 billion in prepaid customer revenues in its coffers. That is $2.6 billion that the thousands of people who have lost their jobs do not have, when they need to pay their bills at the end of the month.

If I understand the minister's answer correctly, he thinks it is okay for a company to rebuild its financial health on the backs of its customers and to benefit from government money that comes from taxpayers.

Is the minister serving the public or the big companies?

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

I thank the hon. member for his question.

My colleague keeps giving Air Canada as an example. It is important to keep in mind that there are other airlines in our country that are in dire straits. Some are even facing bankruptcy right now. It is a very complex situation and we must help our airlines.

At the same time, as I mentioned, I understand that people are frustrated, but they know that they will be able to use the credit for a flight over the next two years.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The next question goes to Mr. Mazier.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, many people in my rural Manitoba riding are feeling unfairly impacted by the Liberal government's firearms ban. These citizens are law-abiding firearms owners who safely, responsibly and legally use firearms. Not only was this order in council signed behind closed doors without any democratic debate, it also does not address the criminal use of firearms. Can the minister inform Canadians how many criminals will be impacted by this order in council?

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The honourable minister.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I would remind the member that the weapons we have prohibited are not designed or intended for hunting or sport shooting. They were designed for soldiers to use while engaged in combat. Nothing we have done in any way impacts the legitimate, law-abiding activity of hunters and farmers and sport shooters across this country. I would invite the member to give some rationale why anyone would require a weapon that was not designed for hunting and sport shooting, but rather for killing people.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Chair, many legal experts have stated that shotguns with removable chokes will technically now be banned because of the existing worry of the Liberals' order in council. This is leaving many Canadians confused and concerned. Will the minister commit to changing his order in council so it clarifies that shotguns used for hunting and sport shooting will not be banned?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I welcome the opportunity to share with the member and all Canadians the clarification that the Canadian firearms program has already provided. There are standards for the ammunition and armaments. There are manufacturer-instituted standards that are applied, and it's very clear, and the Canadian firearms program has made it explicitly clear, that 10- and 12-gauge shotguns are not included in this prohibition. All people who were concerned about that need not be concerned.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Will the minister put words into action and commit to exempting any shotguns from his firearms ban by clarifying that exemption in the order in council, not on Twitter, not on Facebook?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Perhaps the member did not hear when I explained that the prohibition did not include these weapons in any way and the clarification has been provided by the Canadian firearms program, utilizing the widely accepted standards, and it states explicitly that those weapons are not prohibited.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Chair, can the Liberal government inform Canadians if they plan on banning any more firearms in the future, yes or no?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I'm very pleased to tell the member that we will be bringing forward legislation that will bring forward new regulations that will further restrict the storage of firearms to make sure that they can't be stolen; additional offences and penalties at our borders; and to prevent the criminal diversion of guns.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Chair, not only are thousands of Canadians unfairly impacted by the government's firearms ban, but many small and local businesses who probably rely on the income from the legal sale of firearms, ammunition and accessories will be impacted. One of my constituents who owns one of these businesses is expecting to see a 25% drop in sales because of such a ban. Can the minister explain how this government is going to support the businesses that will experience such a large financial loss from existing inventory and future sales as a result of this decision?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Again, I would remind the member that weapons that were designed for hunting and sporting purposes can still be sold and purchased in this country. The only thing we have prohibited is weapons that have no place in a civil society, weapons that were designed to kill people.

Those weapons are now prohibited, but there are no restrictions on the weapons that Canadians are lawfully able to use, those that were intended for hunting and sport shooting purposes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Mr. Mazier, we have about 40 seconds left. I'll leave it with you for a 20-second question.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

I'll switch it up.

Mr. Chair, the Liberal government continues to make life more difficult for farm families. Farm families aren't asking for more debt. They need relief now, not months from now.

When will meaningful reform to the business risk management programs be announced?

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The Honourable Minister.