We all know the answer to that question. The answer is no. The fact that two workers again just tested positive, as was announced today in Windsor, is proof positive. The argument is nonsense, and every one of us on this panel understands that. I will argue that they understand it as well. This had nothing to do with the pandemic somehow being over and seeing a pot at the end of the rainbow. This was a decision made about money, period.
We've had some earlier conversations about the impact of higher wages. The previous MP asked about the small community and the ma-and-pa shop. Look, you can't use the worst-case scenario and say that somehow it should be the litmus test for the industry.
Paul is right that there are very few ma-and-pa shops. The overwhelming majority of the grocery stores in urban and rural communities are owned by large players that are making money hand over fist. This is not an economic decision that was made on the pandemic pay as opposed to their bottom line, because we know they're making more money now than before the pandemic.
If the money was tied in to their ability to pay, then they should be paying $4 more an hour, because they're making more now than they did at the same time last year, so it's a nonsense argument.