House of Commons Hansard #33 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Chair, ornamental horticulture greenhouse growers are facing a crisis across Canada as nurseries and garden centres are not opening, leaving more than $2 billion in plant inventories.
What initiatives is the government discussing to address this sector, which does not qualify for existing assistance?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, what the member points out very correctly is that we are seeing businesses in many different sectors with significant challenges. That is why we have put in place credit opportunities for the very smallest of businesses, as well as credit opportunities for businesses that are larger, through the Business Development Bank and through Export Development Canada. Those businesses will be able to access credit during this time to help them get over what we recognize is a particular challenge, especially as they also have support for their employees through today's wage subsidy legislation.
Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Chair, last week the government insinuated China's ban on Canadian canola seed had been resolved. However, according to the Canola Council of Canada, only current levels of imports would continue. Imports are down 70%, $1 billion less than historical levels.
Has China agreed to increase imports of Canadian canola seed?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, we are very aware of the importance of canola exports to the Canadian economy and I think all of us are more aware than ever of the importance of farmers to Canada.
We continue to work on getting Canadian canola accepted around the world. That includes working with China.
Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Chair, Canadians are losing their jobs. Small businesses are struggling more than ever right now, yet the government increased the carbon tax on April 1.
Will the government reverse this increase?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, it is very important that we focus on the urgent and important things that we need to do for Canadians. That's why with the emergency response benefit it was so important to get money out to Canadians immediately. That's why this wage subsidy is so important, as it will help not only employees but will help employers and employees stay connected.
Of course, with respect to pricing carbon, we know that money actually goes right back to Canadians so it is not a distortion and, in fact, will help them during this challenging time.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, when we last met here on March 24, the employment minister left the House with the distinct impression and belief that workers who are currently on unemployment insurance, whose claims will soon expire, would qualify for the emergency benefit program, yet over the last two weeks the Q and A on regulations that is sent to members of Parliament changed. I know that members of Parliament across this country have been telling workers that they would qualify. It now appears they do not.
Do these workers qualify for the emergency benefit program when their claims expire in the coming weeks?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Employment
Mr. Chair, I apologize if I have created any confusion. We are in the process of ensuring that seasonal workers on EI will, in fact, have access to the CERB. Those regulations are not yet in place. Therefore, at this moment they do not, but we are making sure that they will.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, will that change require a legislative change, or a regulatory change that the minister is able to make from her desk or with cabinet?
Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC
Mr. Chair, that would be a regulatory change that could be enacted through me, the Minister of Finance and/or the President of the Treasury Board.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, could the minister tell us when this will happen?
Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC
Mr. Chair, we are working very hard to ensure that this happens in the upcoming days.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, this question is for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. Small businesses with payrolls of $50,000 or more have access to zero- or low-interest loans, but for small businesses below that threshold or sole proprietorships, these businesses are wondering if low-interest or zero-interest loans may be made available to them as well.
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Chair, we are working to make sure that we support Canadians through this challenging time. Of course we are trying to do that in a way that is appropriate to each situation.
We chose the Canada emergency business account to be available, $40,000 in credit for small businesses with $50,000 of payroll up to a million dollars' worth of payroll, recognizing that was critically important. We also have the Canada emergency response benefit, which is for people who do not qualify for that, and the wage subsidy as applicable.
We will continue to look for ways we can support businesses of all sizes and will have more to announce in that regard.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, we do look forward to hearing more about that.
Turning to the emergency relief benefit program, the challenge, of course, is around precarious workers. The government policy today is one of lights on, lights off. Small businesses that have seen a collapse in income yet are still struggling to keep their business lights on have a choice to make: keep going with no income, no revenue and no help from the emergency relief benefit, or turn the lights off and receive help. This is not the way we are going to recover. This needs to be changed.
Will the minister commit today to changing it?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, maybe I can explain where I see this right now.
If the business does in fact have a 30% revenue drop or more, it will be able to, with the legislation that we are passing today, have a wage subsidy for up to 75% of its workers' earnings. That is critically important. If, in fact, it is a small business, it will be able to additionally get a credit of up to $40,000, which, if paid back before December 31, 2022, will be forgiven at the rate of 25%. That is really critically important as well.
Those things we see as very important and for those organizations that do not use those benefits, they will be able to put themselves or their employees on the Canada emergency relief benefit.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, I ask that the minister lower his sights. I am talking about what I will call the “micro” small businesses, the coffee shops that have laid off the employees but are serving meals to try to keep some income coming in. I am talking about the businesses that do not have employees anymore because they have no revenue but still have a choice to make as to whether to keep operating as a sole proprietorship, effectively. A team of one, or perhaps a couple, does not qualify for any of these programs but it has a choice to make: lights on or lights off.
How are they going to keep those lights on in these businesses?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, this is a dynamic challenge, one in which we are trying to make sure that we are supporting Canadians who are going through very difficult times. We recognize there are people whom we still need to consider how we can support. We believe that the supports we have put in place for small businesses, the supports we have put in place for people who are not working and the supports through wage subsidies would have a very important impact. However, we do know that we still need to consider whether there are additional things we can do and we are, in turn, considering those things today.
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
Mr. Chair, during the last emergency sitting, the Minister of Finance stated that help was coming very quickly to the energy sector, stating that he was not talking about weeks but talking about hours. However, two and a half weeks later, no help has been announced. Since the beginning of this pandemic, Canadian oil and gas companies have cancelled $8.5 billion in planned spending and capital investments, just trying to survive.
Is it true that the finance minister failed to get cabinet approval for any help for Canada's energy sector, yes or no?
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Chair, the answer to that is unequivocally no. What we are seeing today, first of all, is that there is enormous support right now, today in this legislation, that would go to all sectors of the economy, including the energy sector. It is a $73-billion package that would provide wage subsidies to employees across the country, including those companies that are actually in the energy sector.
Of course, as all of us know, there are also many small businesses in the energy sector as well and those businesses have access to $40,000 of credit, 25% of which can be forgiven under certain terms. Additionally, we are looking at other things we can do for the energy sector and we are looking forward to talking about that in the future.
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
Mr. Chair, why, then, the delay in helping the energy sector? This answer simply is not good enough.
The Prime Minister said at the end of last month that the Liberals recognize there are certain industries that have been hit both by the drop in oil prices and by COVID-19, that there are significant areas where they are going to have to do more and will be doing more, yet the Nova Gas Transmission expansion, a $1.5-billion project, is awaiting cabinet approval.
Will the Prime Minister commit to doing more and approve this project to help the oil and gas sector get back on its feet right away when all this is over?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I am sure the member knows that the wage subsidy we are putting forward today, and looking for unanimous consent, is critically important for the energy sector. In many energy sector projects, there is no ability to take people off jobs, which means those businesses were actually continuing to pay people. Allowing us to help them through this wage subsidy would be so important to those businesses.
Additionally we know that other forms of support, like credit, are critical for that sector and other sectors across the country, and that is something we have been working on. We are looking forward to talking more about that as those details are finalized.
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
Mr. Chair, I agree the wage subsidy is very important, but we have a project that is waiting for cabinet approval.
Will the government approve the Nova Gas expansion project?
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we continue to go through the appropriate processes to consider projects. As we go through those, we will be providing transparency to the House and to Canadians.
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister has stated that we will have to remain vigilant for at least a year when it comes to battling COVID-19. Let us contrast that with the Premier of Alberta's proactive relaunch approach, where he is looking to follow the leads of countries like Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea, to keep most of the economy functioning with a low level of viral spread.
When will the Prime Minister tell Canadians about Canada's relaunch plan?