House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ndp.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, the wage subsidy is organized to help as many people keep their job as possible, but it is a very important issue to look into and to think about.
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, if company owners refuse to use the emergency wage subsidy but apply for the LEEFF loan, will they be able to access the LEEFF loan?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, there are a lot of conditions for the LEEFF loan. Each situation is specific. A tiger team works very hard for—
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, among the LEEFF eligibility requirements, why did the minister not require the company to use the wage subsidy?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, the LEEFF conditions are very strict, as they ought to be. They include environmental criteria. They include restrictions on executive pay. They—
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, if a company wants to cut jobs and not use the wage subsidy to keep these jobs, then why will the minister help it through the LEEFF program?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, the LEEFF program involves very careful scrutiny before companies—
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, not every business made it through the summer. What will the government do to help relaunch businesses that may have shut down due to the Liberals' poorly designed rent subsidy program?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, that is an excellent question. We need to focus today on fighting COVID and getting through the COVID winter. Then once COVID is conquered, that will be the time for a program of government investment for jobs and growth.
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, the second wave of COVID-19 is hitting Alberta harder than the first wave and some restaurants and bars that were hit hard over the spring and summer were able to use the patio season to mitigate their losses. We have snow and freezing rain in Edmonton today, yet the wage subsidy is now reduced to 65%. That 10% may be the difference.
Why has the government reduced the amount of the wage subsidy right when it is needed the most in Alberta?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, I really share the member opposite's concerns about the COVID situation in Alberta and particularly in Edmonton. I have been in touch with Don Iveson about it. It is something on which we all really need to focus. Edmonton and Edmontonians really have our government's support in this fight against COVID.
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Madam Chair, we are deep into the second wave of the pandemic in Alberta. Small businesses in the retail, hospitality, arts and entertainment sectors that rely on the December holiday revenues will not survive unless they get support immediately. The wage subsidy helps, but only if they can stay open.
Again, I would like to ask the minister if she can comment a bit about the immediate supports these sectors will be able to access in addition to the wage and the rent subsidies.
Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation
Madam Chair, the Minister of Finance has been clear that we have taken an approach with respect to broad-based support. Through the regional development agencies, we have contributed $1.5 billion to assist in unique situations for sectors that have been challenged, like tourism and the restaurant sector.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, I am supporting Bill C-9, and my chamber is very happy that Bill C-9 is going forward because its members said the other programs sucked, except for western economic diversification funding through Community Futures.
Would you agree with the following statement: “There is no public document published which provides a complete list of measures announced and with their cost estimates related to COVID-19 expenditures”?
The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes
I remind the member to address the question to the Chair.
The hon. minister.
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Madam Chair, first of all, I want to thank the member opposite for his support and the support of his chamber for these programs. I think what we will have in place once we get this passed into law is a comprehensive set of supports for workers and for businesses that will get us through together until next summer. That is a really big deal. I can think of no other country in the world that will have such comprehensive—
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Do you agree with the following statement: “There is no public document published which provides a complete list of measures announced and with their cost estimates as it relates to COVID-19 spending“?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, thank you for bringing in a note of levity to our late-night debates. I am just going to finish my sentence from the last answer, because it is really important. We are now going to do something very special with this legislation. We are going to have targeted mutually reinforcing programs that go up and down as the economy needs it with—
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, the government's central financial management and reporting system is meant to be updated monthly with actual spending data. The government has created several codes in its charts of accounts to track COVID spending. Why has it not been updated since July?