Through you, Chair.
I will be directing the first of my questions to Ms. Pohlmann, and then perhaps I will be able to have other witnesses weigh in on some of the issues that we're talking about here today.
I did have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the CFIB earlier this spring. I have 360 members in my riding. I represent a large rural riding in Saskatchewan. I did go back to look at the slide deck they gave me. I note that—it's probably reflective of a poll that was conducted in January—71% of your members highlighted that taxes and regulatory costs were the largest costs to small and medium-sized businesses. That's something that we really need to pay attention to.
Obviously, over the past eight years, we've seen a steep increase in the cost of living for Canadians, and we've heard from small businesses that they are not immune, that they too have been struggling due to the rising price of everything. This is partially, we know, maybe, being driven by the rise in the carbon tax in many ways.
I do understand that the government stated that it gives back a portion of the tax funds to small and medium-sized businesses, but as my colleague pointed out, your organization recently blew the whistle on the federal government by stating that they had failed to return what she identified as $2.5 billion of these funds to the businesses that you represent. This includes $300 million to businesses in my province of Saskatchewan. That has been identified not only by your organization—perhaps even by members through their chambers of commerce—but by businesses themselves through emails that I have received. Many have had to close their doors as a result of not only the pandemic but also the rising costs that are being imposed on them.
If you're aware, can you tell me if the government has reached out to your organization or even to members of your organization in regard to returning these funds to small and medium-sized businesses?