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.
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Madam Chair, I would like an answer regarding public funding for political parties. That is the question I was asking. As I said, rich parties are getting money they do not need, and they are double dipping because they will get reimbursed. They will use this money for an election campaign and not for their current needs, because they are not in danger, unlike businesses.
I would like to know if the minister sees this as a solution.
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
Madam Chair, I think the word “solution” is apt because in her riding, and in mine, it is a solution that addresses many challenges faced by businesses, small businesses in particular, whose rent and wages—
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, Vancouver East small businesses cannot understand why the Liberals require the landlord to apply for the first commercial rent subsidy program in order to qualify. With the second program, the minister will only allow small businesses that are still struggling to survive the pandemic to apply retroactively to September 27, not April 1. If the idea is to help small businesses survive through the second wave into the future, small businesses will not be able to sustain themselves if the new commercial rent subsidy program is not backdated to April. Surely the minister realizes they have to carry the debt from the first wave forward. The past is part of their future. What will it take for the minister to make the program retroactive to April?
Mary Ng LiberalMinister of Small Business
Madam Chair, I want to thank the hon. member for her advocacy and her work. As the finance minister said earlier, what is really important here is getting this legislation through, helping businesses today and helping them going forward so that we can help them bridge to better times beyond COVID-19 and help them with these very important fixed costs that they have to pay.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, repeating the same lines does not answer the question.
My constituent is a member of the Air Line Pilots Association. In an effort to support the company, he and his colleagues from WestJet have sacrificed themselves by taking a 50% cut in compensation for 12 months straight. As many as 180 to 200 pilots have taken a 70% reduction. Will the government come in with an airline recovery package that ensures public equity, job protection and consumer protection?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Madam Chair, I do want to say how much I admire and respect the people who are keeping our planes flying. They are doing a terrific job in circumstances that are really challenging and I know how dedicated they are. We are looking now carefully at the particular circumstances the airlines face—
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, among the large companies that apply to LEEFF, how many companies receive financial support and of those that receive financial support, how many use the emergency wage subsidy?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, as the member opposite knows, so far two companies have received support through LEEFF. This is a very rigorous process that we go through—
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, I have written to the minister about the PNE. If it cannot get access to the wage subsidy program, that may spell the end of this 110-year-old institution that provides employment to over 4,200 Canadians annually.
Will the Liberals help the PNE survive the pandemic?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Madam Chair, let us just remember that what we are talking about tonight is very comprehensive support that is going to be in place until the summer. I do not think there is any country in the world—
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, it is not enough. Statistics from the Tourism Industry Association of Canada state that only 12% of the tourism applicants to the business credit availability program were approved and 43% were outright denied.
The tourism and hospitality sector desperately need liquidity to get through the winter. Will the Liberals make adjustments to the program so they can access this critical program?
Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation
Madam Chair, with respect to the programs we have in place, BCAP is a great initiative. Also, I want to underscore the fact that we have LEEFF, which was highlighted before. Above and beyond that, if companies have faced challenges, we have put forward monies through the regional development agencies, $1.5 billion, to assist these enterprises and organizations across the country.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, again, will the Liberals make adjustments to the program so they can access this critical program?
Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON
Madam Chair, we have demonstrated not only scale and speed, but also flexibility in the way we design programs. We look forward to working with members opposite going forward.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, I would like to go back to the Minister of Finance about the PNE. Will the Liberals help the PNE survive the pandemic?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
As I said, Madam Chair, the programs that we have put in place are extensive. We, together here in the House, are giving businesses and organizations across the country real certainty. We know that they do not cover—
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Madam Chair, does the finance minister have a short-term plan for the economy?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Madam Chair, yes, we do have a plan and big part of the plan is the work we are doing here tonight.
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Madam Chair, does the minister have a medium-term plan for the economy?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
I sure do, Madam Chair. It is called one million jobs.
