Debates of June 17th, 2021

Concurrence in Vote 1—Department of Transport

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

Unfortunately, I have to allow for other questions. I would ask the hon. member to keep his responses to a minute.

Questions and comments, the hon. parliamentary secretary to the government House leader.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, understanding the importance of our airports in all regions of the country is something this government has demonstrated quite clearly. Whether they are international or local airports, no matter what their size, these facilities provide major economic and social benefits. There is no question that they play a role in those communities. The government has been there to support them in very tangible ways.

The question I have for my friend is this. Canada is a vast country. He seems think that all we need to do is just pick a date when people can start to travel, that we do not have to listen to the health care professionals or science. Does he not recognize there could be another wave and that we need to listen to health care professionals and science—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Regina—Wascana.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, it would be foolish to pick a date on the calendar at random and say that is the date of the reopening. We need to have a comprehensive plan that is built in consultation with our medical professionals. What the federal government should do is follow the lead of many provincial governments, which is to come up with a minimum level of vaccinations that would make a safe reopening plan reasonable. Then it could look at the calendar and say, based on the current levels and rates of vaccination, what a reasonable time frame to achieve those goals would be so Canadians could start making their summer travel plans, so they could be working again and getting life back to normal.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Madam Speaker, I will stick with the airline industry.

The Bloc Québécois believes that when the big airlines get public subsidies, they should be required to pay passengers back for a service that was not delivered. The Standing Committee on Transport recently recommended that a bill introduced by my colleague from Pierre‑Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères be adopted as quickly as possible.

I would like to know whether my colleague will vote in favour of the bill when it comes up for a vote.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, yes, I am certainly in favour of the principle of refunds for air travel passengers who have paid for a service they have not yet received. I will have to admit that I have not yet read that bill in full, but I will certainly read it with interest.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency)]

Madam Speaker, I am speaking from the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the Ta'an Kwach'an Council.

I want to talk about the background to the estimates and the budget, and the fall economic statement that provides the background that the budget is supporting, that the estimates will be supporting. I will talk about transportation and a number of other items.

The biggest emphasis in the budget is to finish the fight against COVID, and there is a large contribution to the provinces and territories for that. It is still not over and that is very essential. There is support for individuals and businesses to get through this economic fallout. We are on the road of recovery, but as a number of interventions have shown, in the tourism industry, for instance, there is still a lot of time before everyone is fully recovered, so we need to keep those supports going.

The third big objective is for the economy to come roaring back in a way that includes everyone, with special supports, for instance, for women and for indigenous businesses. We want the economy to come back with a green economy, which has so much potential for jobs. We want an economy that will come back in a competitive way, where we can compete internationally, that creates a lot of new jobs, particularly for youth.

People who have experienced not having a job at some point in their lives, and they have to support a family, feel a big pit in their stomachs. There are very few things that can be so scary, upsetting and devastating. Although it was a very large investment, as many people have said, a huge investment, it was very essential to keep people working through these difficult times. That was obviously a big objective and the parties co-operated in a very good way to achieve it.

Based on the questions of some members, they may not have been aware that there were 861,000 CEBA loans for over $46 billion. There were 5.3 million jobs saved with the wage subsidy of $73 billion. Our first rent assistance program saw 140,000 applications approved and 1.25 million employees were assisted with $2 billion. The second rent assistance was worth $2.5 billion and helped over 150,000 applicants.

Even with all these programs, there may have been people who fell through the cracks. As everyone knows, these programs had to be created very quickly if we were going to help people from going under. There may have been cracks that were not filled, so the regional relief and recovery fund was put into the regional development agencies across Canada, with the tremendous leadership of the Minister of Economic Development. A few fell through the cracks, but that fund helped over 23,000 applicants across the country, with $1.4 billion.

Tourism is important to me, and out of those amounts of money, tourism alone had over 4,400 approvals for $392 million.

A lot of these supports were so critical to keep jobs during these unprecedented times not seen since the war. The fall economic statement added to that. For tourism, there is the HASCAP program. The RRRF I just mentioned was so needed and efficient that we had to increase money for it. Then there was the regional air transport fund, which is so important in rural Canada.

One of the most exciting things was the announcement of the new regional economic development agency for British Columbia. British Columbia is a unique area and there will be all kinds of special supports, recognizing that uniqueness, with this new agency.

Of course, that leaves the prairie regional development agency on its own with all those previous funds, which it can now enhance even more its work, over and above all the projects that went there through the RRRF already. This will be great for the Prairies, and they can lead the way for us in resource projects. Their human resources are very bright, great research done is done in the prairie areas, and all kinds of businesses can lead with exports and help the recovery in Canada.

I want to talk about some of the things that are really essential for the north. First, I am most excited about the increase in the northern residents deduction for the Territories and the northern parts of the provinces. A lot of people were not eligible for this deduction. People could only claim it if their employer put it on their T4 slip, gave them a travel allowance and then they could collect this northern residents travel reduction. However, this budget has allowed for everyone to have access that deduction. They do not need their employer to include it on their T4 slips. That will be so exciting for the economies of the north, and for the people of the north as a personal support.

Our biggest employer and hardest hit one is tourism. There is a record amount of additional funds specific to tourism in the budget, $1 billion, of which $200 million is for local festivals, cultural events, heritage celebrations, local museums and amateur sports events. In my riding, we have all those things in great numbers and, of course, they greatly contribute to employment and to our economy.

There are another $200 million for the major events in those areas, such as festivals, cultural events, heritage, local museums and amateur sports events. That does not affect my riding so much, but in the big cities of the country, that will be critical for those activities to carry on, to provide employment and to keep jobs. For decades, I think parliamentarians have underestimated the cultural sector and its importance to the creation of jobs and to moving forward our cultural ideas and thought processes.

There are also $100 million for Destination Canada. Canada has not put as much into marketing our great nation as some other countries of the world. It is something I have always advocated for, and I am so excited to see that funding for Destination Canada, again to help our tourism industry.

Then we have the $500 million tourism relief fund, once again, recognizing the tourism industry and how hard it has been hit. Our borders are open to all the other businesses. Trucks can come across. The one thing the border is not open to during the pandemic is tourism. On top of all that for tourism, is a $700 million for small business financing fund. It will not all go to tourism businesses, but again, it provides more support for small businesses to particularly help them in the green area, to be inclusive, to be competitive and to create more jobs.

In the north, our two biggest sectors are mining and tourism. In my riding, the mining sector's first request was support for hydroelectric power. We are running out of power in the north. Therefore, the budget includes $40.4 million to study and prepare potential hydroelectric projects across the north.

The Yukon government is one of the most progressive in the country with its climate change plan and reducing greenhouse gas plan, and it wanted some assistance, so the budget has included $25 million for it.

As a Conservative member mentioned earlier this evening, and I believe it was the member for Niagara Falls, tourism will not be back right away. It will take some time, yet our rent subsidy and our wage subsidy are running out this month. Therefore, unless we get the budget implementation act passed, there is going to be a lot of difficulty in the tourism sector, both for businesses and for NGOs that need the wage subsidy and the rent subsidy, which this budget implementation act, Bill C-30, would extend into the fall.

Another item that is very important for us and that probably has not been mentioned much is the centre of excellence for critical minerals. Critical minerals are needed a lot for batteries, for one thing, so they are absolutely essential, first for the mining industry and to have a clean environment to deal with the climate change crisis. As members know, one country in particular is trying to corner the market on critical metals, and we have an agreement with the United States. It is very important for us, for various reasons, so I am very excited to see that in the budget.

In past budgets, there has not been so much for communities, but communities were hit hard by this. Their various types of support were also reduced during the pandemic. I was delighted to see a Canada community revitalization fund, something brand new. There is $500 million there so the small communities across the country can have projects that are very important to them.

There are a number of supports for seniors. During our term, we increased the GIS for the lowest-income seniors, and there are several other supports for seniors during COVID. There is a huge increase to the new horizons for seniors program, and there is an addition in the budget of 10% for seniors over 75 to add to all that, for the most needy seniors.

Then there is a very large Canada digital adoption program. As members know, we are in the 21st century, the digital economy. It is a lot of learning for me, but if we are going to keep up with the rest of the world, our businesses have to keep up, so it is great to have that fund to help businesses transform over. There are a lot of jobs for young people in there as mentors to help the businesses transfer into the digital economy.

There is also the Canada recovery hiring program. As I mentioned, one of the big objectives is to hire more people, to get people back to work. If businesses had to lay people off, reduce their hours or reduce their wages, all those things can be supplemented from June 6 to November 20 through the Canada recovery hiring program. The very flexible idea is that for each month or each eligibility period for this program and for the wage subsidy, they can pick whichever one is best for their company.

I do not have time to talk about it now, but there are a number of improvements to small-business financing. Certainly there are significant investments in first nations. People will remember back to the biggest investment in history of $5 billion, proposed by Paul Martin for the Kelowna Accord. Well, this budget has $18 billion for first nations and $4.3 billion for infrastructure, for instance.

In my career, very seldom have I seen money for social financing, for NGOs and charities, but in this budget there is $200 million for a social financing fund. To get companies ready, there is an investment of $50 million in the investment readiness fund, because the first one was so successful it was all used up. There is a very unique concept being floated of social financing bonds for those who want to invest to help the country in a socially responsible way.

As I mentioned, communities need support, and there is a community services recovery fund to help various community services and NGOs adapt and modernize, after they have been hit so hard by COVID and so many of their resources have been decimated by COVID.

There is money for domestic vaccine production, which I think everyone appreciates. There is a huge increase, another increase, in the broadband fund, and that is very important for my riding, as well as cellphone coverage. There are 100,000 people being lifted out of poverty with the increase in the Canada workers benefit. There are huge funds for training, as I said, to get people employed again, 500,000 people, of which 215,000 are youth.

I will mention something that probably no one else will mention, the polar continental shelf funding of $24 million. That is to help Arctic research.

There is also $140 million for food security.

The Liard First Nation has a great housing manufacturing project that I am supporting. On self-governing first nations housing, they have great ideas. I would also like to see support for getting off-grid, remote mines off diesel, and increases for the equipment and O&M for indigenous broadcasters, who do such wonderful work in my riding.

I really appreciate the large investments in salmon, to enhance salmon on the west coast. They come right up into my riding. Salmon are very important for indigenous culture and ceremonies, for one thing, as well as for food.

There is also the doubling of the student grant for two more years and extending the waiver of interest to 2023.

I want to talk about aviation in the north for a bit. We really appreciate the northern air support that started almost from the beginning of the pandemic. It is important to know that we need interlining with the mainline carriers. We cannot let the mainline carriers put our small, local carriers out of business. We really need the mainline carriers to interline, to have co-operative arrangements where everyone wins. Neither airline has to go half-empty. The big carriers could get new customers for their overseas routes, while the local carriers that service the north could get the flights down to Edmonton, Vancouver, the big cities that are so needed for their competitiveness.

I could talk about a lot of other things, but I do not have time now. The Conservatives brought up that what is really important for them is a plan. We have huge plans. The fall economic statement was a 168-page plan. It had all sorts of things to return the economy. Then the budget is a 740-page plan.

I will just mention some of the items in that plan to get companies back to work, over and above all the ones I have already mentioned. There is money for food security, indigenous and women entrepreneurs, an A1 strategy, artificial intelligence strategy, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research—again, we are in the 21st century—a quantum strategy, the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre, business-led R and D through the colleges, Mitacs for 85,000 placements, CanCode, the net-zero accelerator to help the resource industry, the clean-growth hub, support for Measurement Canada, strategic innovation funds, IRAP expansion, which has been so important for innovation in Canada for decades, Elevated IP, the strategic intellectual property program review, the innovation superclusters, the data in the digital world, and support for the Standards Council of Canada and the Competition Bureau.

I encourage everyone to support all these items that I have mentioned, and the ones in the estimates, so that we could get Canadians back to work and businesses could keep our economy going. We would not need to continue government supports for either individuals or businesses once we get everyone back. We need to continue support for Canada and around the world. When COVID exists anywhere in the world, it is still a threat to us.

I will leave it at that. I hope we get support from all parties, which have been very co-operative and helpful during the pandemic.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for his speech and for his work. I am interested to know how the transportation and tourism spending announced here is going to help his riding. What does he think is missing that should have been there?

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, the thing that will help my riding the most within tourism is the money that I mentioned right at the beginning for the festivals, the museums and the culture, and of course the billion dollars for the tourism industry and the marketing.

On the transportation side, it would be the trade corridors fund. The north got an inordinate percentage of that. I know in the first round we got something like $200 million out of $2 billion, which was way more than our number per capita, although we have a lot of area where we have to put that infrastructure in, to be able to get tourists in and out.

The other transportation funding that has been very important and essential for us has been the support for the northern air transport. We had several projects announced recently to improve our airport, the structure, the aprons and the runways, but also for the northern airlines that have been hurt, which provide service to the rural communities.

As I said, one thing that needs support from all members of Parliament is to have the big airlines interline with our northern airlines, so they can both still compete and they are not either putting the smaller airline out of business or costing the large airline more than it needs to—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

We have to allow for other questions.

The hon. member for Rivière‑des‑Mille‑Îles.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

Again, we see the flow of money being handed out left and right. It has been that way for weeks. Often it is for good reason, we have no doubt, but it is still our money, the taxpayers' money in Quebec and Canada. For Quebec, roughly 22% of that money is reinjected, generally for good reasons.

I would like to ask my colleague the following question because it is a question I am asked in my riding.

Has he heard about seniors or their children or their grandchildren who find that they have been unfairly treated in this budget?

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, I am trying to think if I have had a lot of calls from any of those groups. I am not sure about the member's riding, but he probably knows the federal government supports. The COVID supports that people in his riding and across the country received, a large percentage of them have come from the federal government. The provinces, at least in my area, have had some very innovative and helpful programs to add to this federal support. I imagine that in his riding the provincial government has added some supports to the federal supports.

I have been in the House since the year 2000, and this is the biggest federal budget that I remember, which has something for almost everyone, some support for every group that he is talking about. I mentioned seniors. There is money for people with disabilities. There is money for students. There is support for low-income workers and support for unemployed people.

I did not mention the fact that there is an extension of the more flexible EI rules that have been put in place to get through the pandemic. That is being extended in this budget as well. There is something for all—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

We have someone else who is waiting to ask a question.

The hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals' financial plan is failing to go after large corporate abusers of the wage subsidy while planning a 40% cut for the 1.5 million Canadians who are still depending on the Canada recovery benefit in order to make rent and put food on the table.

New Democrats have raised this issue many times in the House, and the government's answer has been either completely ignorant or totally disingenuous. When we express skepticism about the budget, government members say, “Oh the NDP, if they vote against the budget, they are voting against an extension of the Canada recovery benefit”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The problem is that the Liberals refuse to admit that there is a possibility, other than terminating the benefit or cutting the benefit, which is to continue the benefit at the current rate. So, while they are content to allow corporate abusers of the wage subsidy get off scot-free, I think it is totally inappropriate for them to be going after all these Canadians who still have not been able to go back to work, who are depending on the Canada recovery benefit and who cannot afford to go from $2,000 a month down to $1,200 a month.

I want to know what the member has to say to that, and do not tell me that it is a choice between either terminating the benefit or cutting the benefit, because we all know that if the government had the right intention, it could extend the benefit at the current rate.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, I know that the member is a very thoughtful member of Parliament, as was his father, whom I enjoyed being in Parliament with.

First of all, I cannot agree with the premise of the member's question that abusers are being let off. All the programs have conditions, including the wage subsidy, and those are followed up. For example, the wage subsidy can only be used for wages and, as I mentioned, that is what kept a huge number of people working so that they could put food on the table.

However, as the pandemic is winding down, as I mentioned during my speech, most of the supports are reducing as people come out of the pandemic, and both individual and corporate supports are going down.

I think I heard in a speech earlier in the week that 81% of the jobs lost have already been put back in place and so, as we recover, I think the supports will be reduced.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I just have a quick question for my friend.

The member made reference to the importance of cultural events. In Winnipeg, we have Folklorama, a fantastic organization that puts on an annual event that brings so much character and life to our city. These are the types of organizations that the government also supports.

Could the member add some further thoughts in terms of how important it is to emphasize that the government was there and continues to be there for our arts and culture communities?

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, the fact that there is $200 million for big cultural events or festivals like Folklorama is very important. As I said, I think culture has been a bit of a forgotten sector in our economy, and so this is important for all the people who work in the sector. It is important for all of the performers in the gig economy who really have limited income, and it is so important to our spirit. As well, by having entertainment locally, we have Canadians supporting Canadians, we keep people in the country and have our dollars recirculate in the country, which is also very important.

Obviously, they had to close down during the pandemic, but a number of these proponents were actually eligible for the wage subsidy and CEBA loans. This has kept some of these very important charities, NGOs and festivals afloat during this time, so that they can start up as soon as the pandemic is over.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am happy to be here tonight to talk about transportation and tourism. These sectors are very important not just in my riding, but across the country. As for the estimates, since I do not have a lot of time, I will be pretty succinct.

First of all, I will talk about what is needed and then what is in the estimates and the budget. We know that because of the pandemic, all of the airlines and a number of transportation businesses have had to lay off workers and they are in a tough spot. The government needed to come up with some kind of aid package. That said, it picked winners and losers. It decided Air Canada and Air Transat were going to get bailouts, but not WestJet. Why is that? That is just not fair. We need all of them to continue.

Greyhound has gone out of business. This is a critical service, especially for lower-income individuals and people across the country in rural and remote places. Something is needed there and there is nothing coming forward.

One of the groups that is very concerned is travel agents. A lot of times they have consulting fees and they have not been able to take advantage of a lot of the government's programs. Something needs to be done for them.

We need to get a border opening plan, not just with our neighbour to the south, but across the provinces, accelerating the vaccine rollout, working with the provinces and territories to open up and providing an incentive for Canadians to travel in this country. That is a huge $30-billion opportunity, a way of restoring life to the tourism sector that has been very hard hit. The $1 billion in the budget is not going to do it, so we need an additional incentive on top of that. In addition, as I have said, we need to put back in place all of the smaller routes and work on that plan.

When it comes to the tourism sector, a lot of the festivals and fairs were very hard hit. In my riding, there is the Brigden Fair and the Plympton-Wyoming Fair. There are fall fairs all over the place and everybody wants to get back to them, but without some kind of government infusion, they will not be able to survive. We need to do something for them. Let us get back to normal.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

It being 10 p.m., it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings and put forthwith every question necessary to dispose of the business of supply.

Call in the members.

The House resumed consideration of the motion.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #149

Business of Supply

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

I declare the motion carried.

The next question is on opposed vote 1.

The House resumed consideration of Motion No. 1.

Concurrence in Vote 1—Transport

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

moved:

That Vote 1, in the amount of $741,693,237, under Department of Transport — Operating expenditures, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

If a member of a recognized party present in the chamber wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded division.