Industry Committee on April 23rd, 2020

[Paul Thompson]

The Department of Finance has led a number of efforts with the banks on the special measures they're extending on relief to mortgages and interest rates, measures like that. The main measure in development right now is rent relief, in conjunction with the provinces, which will provide—

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I hope that's not a bunch more debt for tenants and landlords. What are the banks going to do in eating interest and coming up with their share?

I want to go back to what the Danish and Polish governments are doing. They're making sure their government doesn't provide aid to companies that register in tax havens, pay out dividends or buy back their shares.

Is the Liberal government asking you to look into making sure that all aid stays in Canada and goes to the people in our country who need it?

[Paul Thompson]

I repeat my earlier answer that we're going to take that under advisement, and I'd have to pursue that with the Crown agencies that are more directly involved in the lending and the Department of Finance. I unfortunately don't have an answer to that question at present.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I'll go back to a question I had earlier for Minister Ng around being eligible for CERB.

The government right now is gauging employment income for proprietors as a barrier. If you have over $1,000 of employment income, even if you're paying rent of $2,600 a month, like a constituent of mine, who's literally losing thousands of dollars a month, she can't apply for CERB. She's closed her store, opened an online store and can't access CERB.

Are you going to fix it so it's based on profit or loss and net profit instead of gross income?

[Paul Thompson]

As we've indicated, these examples are hugely important and we're passing them on and there's continual reassessment—

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

You're going to walk away.

[Paul Thompson]

—of the measures, but I would also indicate that other measures are in play—

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

They can't access any of these measures. They can't access CEBA. They're going to walk away. They can't feed their families. They're going to put their hands up. You have to fix this now.

[Paul Thompson]

There are other supports.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

They're not accessing them. They can't.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Mr. Johns, I'm sorry. That's all the time we have for today. We've completed the three rounds.

I thank everybody for their patience. To all the witnesses who were here today, the technicians, the clerks, the analysts and the translation services, thank you very much. I know that with practice we will get much better at this.

With that, thank you again, and I hope to see you next week.

The meeting is adjourned.