COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 19th, 2020

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

There are 17 seconds left, Mr. Sweet. Be very quick.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Madam Chair, our farmers are facing unprecedented challenges. Is the minister concerned that this will impact the Canadian food supply?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Chair, we are lucky in Canada to have a very strong food supply chain and we are collaborating very well with our trading partners as well as with the farmers all across the country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will now go to Ms. Atwin.

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Chair, I recently spoke with the leadership of the Native Women's Association of Canada, and they do not feel heard within this government. They are frustrated by the red tape in funding applications, with colonial criteria that leave them either without operational funding or without infrastructure funding, depending on the stream.

Their disappointment with being left out of critical discussions was also expressed in a letter to the Prime Minister in March.

In light of the one-year anniversary of the release of the report “Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls”, and considering the recent spike in indigenous women experiencing violence due to COVID-19, would the minister commit to direct, solid core funding for the Native Women's Association of Canada?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

I thank the member for her question and her ongoing advocacy for not only first nations but also indigenous women and girls.

I think the member will be pleased to hear that when we signed the accord with the Native Women's Association last February, we understood their need for stable, predictable funding and increased the core organizational capacity at that time.

In that accord, they received $3.1 million in the first year and $2.1 million in each of the successive years, to a total of $7. 3 million. We also are very grateful that we have received their contribution to the national action plan on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls—

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

I thank the minister for that response.

Mr. Chair, I'm going to switch gears as well. On May 17, we joined our voices to support the 2SLGBTQQIA rights during the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

In a statement on that day, the Prime Minister said that this community continues to face stigma and discrimination for simply being themselves.

In 2015 a promise was made to Canadians to put an end to the policy prohibiting men who have intimate relations with other men from donating blood. While it is true that the temporary ban period has been reduced, this shorter ban period has not had a real impact on the ability to give blood with dignity, and the policy in place remains a discriminatory one.

Mr. Chair, can the minister clarify why this discriminatory legislation has not yet been repealed and when all men, regardless of who they love, will also be allowed to save lives by giving blood?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Chair, thanks to our efforts over the years, Canada has one of the safest blood systems in the world, and it is supported by evidence-based policy. That is why earlier this year we approved the Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec's request to reduce the deferral period for donation to three months for men who have had sex with other men. This is a significant step toward eliminating the deferral period and moving to a behaviour-based model.

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Chair, the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta is making a heartfelt plea with its Sauvons Saint-Jean campaign. The University of Alberta's Campus Saint-Jean is the only French-language post-secondary institution in Alberta.

Campus Saint-Jean is in financial straits owing to chronic underfunding. It may be forced to close. We must continue to support the dreams of students as they fulfill their potential in whichever language they choose.

Can the minister confirm today that the federal government will step in to help the Franco-Albertan community and save an institution that is a pillar for western Canada's francophones? After all, the government did the same for Franco-Ontarians in the case of Université de l'Ontario français.

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

Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank the member for her important question. I'd also like to thank her for helping to champion language rights in the country.

Our two official languages are clearly important, and we still need to do more to promote official languages. We must stand up to protect official languages in institutions that are at the heart of minority language communities and their vitality.

I had a productive conversation with the dean of Campus Saint-Jean, Pierre-Yves Mocquais, and the president of the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta, Sheila Risbud. We are in the process of gaining a clear understanding of the problem so we can look for lasting solutions.

I look forward to discussing it further with the member at a later time.

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Chair, my final question will be for the Minister of Finance. When can we expect to see the updated budget?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have to apologize. I was changing from the French to the English and I missed the question in English.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Ms. Atwin, could you repeat your question? It was a brief one.

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

My pleasure.

For the Minister of Finance, through you, Mr. Chair: When can we expect the updated budget?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

We are trying our best to be very transparent with all the measures we are putting forward. As the economy becomes more stable, we will endeavour to make sure that we have a fuller understanding for Canadians.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The next question goes to Ms. Kwan.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

The commercial rent assistance program is supposed to provide much-needed support for small businesses so they can survive the pandemic. By only allowing landlords with a mortgage to apply for it, the Liberals show they are less concerned about supporting small businesses than ensuring that big banks get their mortgage payments. Surely, the Liberals know that Bay Street is not the target here.

Will the minister eliminate the mortgage requirement and allow small businesses to apply instead of landlords?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, we do see that this emergency rent approach will be very helpful for small businesses and landlords. We have come out and said that we will be providing more information to allow those landlords without mortgages to be part of this program. We are looking forward to providing more details so this can work for Canadian small businesses.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

At the moment, the reality is that not one small business in the Chinatown parkade in my riding is eligible for the commercial rent subsidy, and they're not alone. Representatives from the Hastings-North BIA tell me that small businesses there are also struggling. Even the landlords are saying they should not be the ones applying for the rent subsidy, and they all want the mortgage requirement eliminated.

It is absurd that the Prime Minister will bail out big companies that use tax havens, but he won't help out these small mom and pop shops. When will the minister realize that small businesses are the economic engines in all of our communities and fix the program so that small businesses can get the help they need?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, we are very much trying to ensure that small businesses are in a strong position. The emergency business account we announced this morning will be expanded to encompass and be available for more businesses, which is important. There will be more information on the emergency rent approach, which of course we're trying to work together on with the provinces, since it is within provincial jurisdiction. As with all of our programs, we will endeavour to make sure that they are improved as we go along, recognizing the challenges this emergency is presenting us.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Time is of the essence, Minister, and repeating the same message week after week will not change a thing, but stopping bailouts for big corporations using tax havens will.

In addition to small businesses, municipalities and public entities are also struggling. TransLink had to cut services and laid off 1,500 workers.

The PNE, after 110 years, will not survive the pandemic if it can't get some help. If it doesn't, it would mean a permanent loss of 125 full-time and 1,600 part-time workers, not to mention a loss of an additional 2,500 summer jobs for young students. Will the minister do what is necessary to save the PNE, or will he just turn a blind eye and let this 110-year-old institution die?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

I would like to thank the member opposite for her very important question.

Our government is absolutely aware of the essential role municipalities play every day, and particularly of the essential role they will play as we are all looking toward restarting the economy.

As the member opposite suggested, public transit is an essential part of the work municipalities do. At the FMM meeting, over the phone last week with the Prime Minister and the first ministers, the Prime Minister did discuss the need to support municipalities and for provinces to really work with the municipalities and with us to ensure that our municipalities are able to be part of a successful relaunch of the Canadian economy.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Support for them is essential. I hope the government will act.

The B.C. government has an aggressive acquisition strategy to address the homelessness crisis. To start, it purchased a Comfort Inn last week. Did the federal government provide any support to the B.C. government for this acquisition?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, we have provided additional money in the amount of $157.5 million to municipalities and community entities across the country to use in a flexible manner to deal with the issue of the COVID-19 pandemic and the homeless population.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

The truth is that the federal government failed to provide one dime for the purchase of the Comfort Inn. Surely the minister realizes that he cannot carry on business as usual. COVID-19 has exposed how we are failing the most vulnerable. More than ever, we need a national housing acquisition strategy. Will the minister fund a new stimulus package to address the homelessness crisis?