Thank you very much.
From my perspective, the hospitality and tourism industry was left behind from the very beginning of this pandemic. Too many programs have successfully failed your industry. Based on what officials said last week at committee, every program is designed very simply, or they can't manage the complexity, which leads to this one-size-fits-all approach that we've seen over and over.
As I understand from you, if we continue on the course we're taking in this budget, 70% of hotels will be forced to close, and 300,000 jobs will be lost. That's an absolute crime in my view, especially since slow vaccine procurement means we will only have one dose this summer, keeping us locked down tight longer than our neighbours to the south. Honestly, I don't know how I can vote in favour of this budget knowing that so many entrepreneurs and job creators will be losing the shirts off their backs if this passes as is.
Were you not included in any discussions with the government prior to the budget? Did they understand how desperate your situation is and what you need for survival?