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, our government is very available to answer questions. Here we are late into the evening, and I think we are all actually glad to be here and to be having this discussion. I have also—
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, I think the finance minister needs to pick a lane, a lane of transparency, accountability and a team Canada approach or one that denies Canadians the access to information on our public expenditures.
Bill C-11, Bill C-12, Bill C-13, Bill C-14, Bill C-15, Bill C-16, Bill C-18, Bill C-19, Bill C-20 and Bill C-4; the Parliamentary Budget Officer says that we do not have public information on all of those bills passed and that received royal assent.
Does the member opposite agree that Canadians deserve to have that information?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Madam Chair, the finance minister has obviously picked a lane, which is full transparency, and full engagement and support of businesses and workers across Canada. We are delighted to have this opportunity, as well as the government portal info base and the open government portal, which provides hundreds of different files on COVID-19. The member is obviously most welcome to consult those files with hundreds of pages of detailed information, including on government estimates and the budgetary estimates process. There is a lot of information to support this very important discussion. We are very proud of the lane the finance minister chose.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, will the finance minister give Canada a budget in 2021?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, I know everyone is really looking forward to it because we have heard a lot about it tonight. We have said we will provide an update later this year.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, will the finance minister table special legislation to grant the money required for the Auditor General to do her job?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, as we have heard from the Secretary of the Treasury Board, we strongly support the work of the Auditor General and we believe the Auditor General does need the—
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Madam Chair, will we receive a budget in 2021?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, as I said, I am really thrilled everyone here is waiting with bated breath. The fall fiscal—
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, I have spoken to my chamber of commerce, as well. We have a chartered bus line in my constituency that is owned and operated locally. It has zero revenue and has had nothing since the beginning of the pandemic with no foreseeable future of having any revenue either. They have applied for just about everything they can and they have received some funds, but with no revenue, it is not enough. We have had eight months of COVID and six weeks of prorogation to get the plans right. Why are small businesses like this chartered bus line still falling through the cracks and there is nothing in this legislation to help them?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Madam Chair, since we talked about this when it came to Edmonton, I would like to start by saying how much all of us in this House are thinking of the people of Manitoba as they fight a very powerful resurgence of COVID. We are here for Manitoba. I do want to point out that the additional lockdown support we are talking about tonight could be of particular—
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, the provincial exhibition in Manitoba, as well, survives on three major events that it puts on in a year: the winter fair in March, cancelled; the summer fair in June, cancelled; and the Manitoba agricultural exhibition in October, cancelled.
The provincial exhibition in Manitoba has been in existence since 1882. I think it has been cancelled twice, way back in the First World War and now. Without these events, the provincial exhibition is in dire straits, like the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions.
Why is there no additional assistance contained in this legislation for non-profit organizations like the provincial exhibition in Manitoba?
Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation
Madam Chair, many people have reminded us this evening that Manitoba is good. We are very proud to support Manitobans during these difficult times.
I also want to take this opportunity to underscore the fact that we, as a government, have invested $500 million for cultural, heritage and sport organizations throughout this pandemic to deal with these types of circumstances, in order to support them. We have done so in the past, and we will continue to support these types of initiatives and organizations across the country, but particularly in Manitoba.
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, I have given examples of how the government has not helped.
I will give another one. Camps across Canada are closed this year, and they do not have any opportunities. All their bookings are cancelled. There is no expectation that this will not continue in 2021.
Above and beyond the programs already announced, why is there still nothing in this legislation specific to children's camps that are teetering on the edge of financial catastrophe?
Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON
Madam Chair, again, I understand the frustration and the concerns. These stories from Manitoba are similar to stories that we are hearing across the country. That is why I just highlighted the fact that we have invested $500 million to support such initiatives.
We have also indicated $1.5 billion worth of support through the regional development agencies as well. We have invested in such initiatives in the past and will continue to do so going forward.
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, I want to ask the Minister of Finance whether the changes to the Canada emergency wage subsidy were provided to her in her mandate letter?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, the changes in the emergency wage subsidy, which we are talking about tonight, were first promised in the Speech from the Throne, and that it would go through to the summer. That is a commitment that I am delighted we are keeping.
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, were the changes to the Canada emergency rent subsidy contained in the minister's mandate letter?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, I think that we all agree that the new Canada rent subsidy is a really good program that is going to support a lot of Canadian businesses. I am proud that we are discussing it.
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Madam Chair, it looks like she is like the Minister of Public Safety who did not get a mandate letter, even though he was at committee.
Would the Minister of Finance table her mandate letter?
