Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, more loans and more debt is not the answer for these businesses. I am glad the government has made some changes, and I am proud of the work the NDP has done pushing for these much-needed improvements, but there are still too many small businesses, especially start-ups, falling through the cracks. We have been at this for over 11 months now and the government cannot blame the unprecedented nature of the situation anymore.
A made-in-Victoria solution, which the mayor of Victoria recently shared with the minister, is for new businesses to supply to the federal government whatever information they provided to a third party, whether a bank or private investor, that financed their businesses, as check and balance in place to demonstrate business viability. There are solutions. We are ready to work with the government to help these small businesses survive. The longer the pandemic goes on, the more urgently they need help.
Simply adding more debt is not sustainable. They are facing the same challenges that so many other small businesses across Canada are facing, but they are not getting the same support. They have invested in our communities and they are doing their part, so why is the government leaving them out in the cold?