Irek Kusmierczyk

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 18th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne outlined the government’s intent to launch a plan to create over one million jobs to help restore employment to previous levels. The plan will use a range of tools, including direct investment in the social sector and infrastructure, immediate training to quickly skill up workers and incentives for employers to hire and retain workers.

This commitment is part of the government’s four-pillar foundation to help build a stronger and more resilient Canada, including, first, fight the pandemic and save lives; second, support people and businesses through this crisis; third, build back better by strengthening the middle class, supporting job creation and long-term competitiveness with clean growth; and fourth, stand up for who we are as Canadians by achieving progress on gender equality, walking the road of reconciliation and fighting discrimination of every kind.

This plan also builds on the Government of Canada’s immediate and decisive action to support Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of the pandemic. Programs such as the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB, have provided millions of Canadians with the financial support they needed to get by. Other measures such as the Canada emergency wage subsidy, or CEWS, have provided support to Canadian businesses, helping them to avoid layoffs, rehire employees and create new jobs. Close to nine million Canadians were helped by the CERB and over 3.5 million jobs were supported by the wage subsidy.

This plan is already working. The Canadian economy had lost three million jobs at the peak of the COVID-19 economic impact. By September, the Canadian economy had recovered about 2.3 million jobs.

However, clearly more needs to be done. This is why, through the Speech from the Throne, the government laid out a solid economic recovery plan that will restore employment to previous levels and ensure Canadians return to work and thrive economically.

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, officials from ESDC explained in several appearances before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance that contribution agreements are regularly used by the government to further policy objectives and engage a wide diversity of skills and resources outside the government.

ESDC began discussions in early May 2020 with WE Charity. Prior to entering into the contribution agreement, ESDC assessed the organization’s eligibility and capacity to deliver a project against the terms and conditions of a program or initiative and the policy objectives and parameters of the Canada student service grant, CSSG; considered WE Charity’s standing, including its completion of projects, results achieved and good financial standing on previous projects, by reviewing past projects where WE Charity received funding for project delivery from ESDC; and articulated clauses in the contribution agreement on accountability and results to mitigate any risks associated with the project development.

ESDC also outlined financial controls in the contribution agreement to govern the organization’s appropriate use of funds, by including the following: payment clauses to advance funds based on project activities and to minimize the potential of overpayment; interest clauses requiring that any interest earned be either directed towards the project or returned to the Crown; repayment clauses governing the return of ineligible expenditures or funds that were not used for the project; project records, reporting and audit clauses holding the funding recipient accountable, allowing the department to track project progress, document results, provide financial accounting and track compliance; and a requirement for audited financial statements to reconcile expenditures at the end of the project.

Given the nature and amount of the agreement, due diligence was performed at all levels by employees and management within the skills and employment branch, program operations branch, chief financial officer branch and legal services branch within ESDC from the time negotiations on the contribution agreement commenced on May 5, 2020.

[Hospice of Windsor Essex County, November 4th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to honour the work of John Fairley and the “Face to Face” campaign he founded, which has raised $1.2 million over the last 18 years in support of the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County.

Hospice provides palliative care and an oasis of peace, comfort and trust for the patients who are on their end-of-life journey and their families.

Hospice depends on donations to provide that critical care. However, the economic impact of COVID-19 and the closure of fundraisers threatened this vital mission. However, John Fairley was not deterred. When given the choice to move forward or shut things down, John said, “I decided, with hope in my heart, that our community would be there.” This year, despite the odds, our community came through once again with over $95,000 in donations.

I congratulate all the volunteers and organizers, Hospice and John Fairley, whose mom is smiling down on his tremendous work.

[Global Polio Eradication Initiative, October 23rd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Polio Day and I would like to thank all rotary clubs in Canada, including local rotary clubs at our binational Rotary District 6400, for their efforts to help end polio around the world. I congratulate Jennifer Jones, a fellow Windsorite, on her historic appointment as the first woman president in Rotary International's 115-year history.

The global polio eradication initiative has helped vaccinate 2.5 billion children since 1988, but we know that the job is not yet done. In May, our government announced $190 million in funding over four years for GPEI and I am proud of Canada's strong leadership on the global health stage.

Around the world, efforts to eradicate polio have already prevented 18 million cases of paralysis. This is one of the great global health success stories of the last 30 years and our government will remain a partner every step of the way as we move closer to eradication.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said already, Canadian businesses are the backbone of our economy and they provide good jobs that support families across the country. Since March we have implemented several programs to help businesses large and small to weather the storm through Canada's COVID-19 economic response plan, which has provided urgent and broad-based support where it is needed. While many businesses have now reopened, most are still not operating at full capacity and many are concerned about the uncertainty the second wave has created.

We will continue to help Canadian businesses and the Canadians they employ get back on their feet. Extending the Canada emergency wage subsidy and proposing a new Canada emergency rent subsidy are critical steps, are concrete steps to help Canadian businesses and other organizations stay afloat so they can build back stronger.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity today to visit three main street businesses in Windsor—Tecumseh to celebrate small business week. I spoke with Michelle from Formally Yours, Kristina from Green Envy and Cathy from Artessa. They are three amazing business owners with wonderful businesses.

Canadian businesses like these are the lifeblood of our communities and the backbone of the economy. In 2017, almost 70% of all private sector employees, 8.3 million people, worked for small businesses. That is why our government has been committed to helping businesses face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including assisting them with business costs that they cannot defer, such as rent.

In April, the government introduced the Canada emergency commercial rent assistance program, CECRA, for small businesses. This program, offered in partnership with the provinces and territories, is administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Since its launch, CECRA has helped over 135,000 small business tenants who employ more than 1.2 million Canadians by providing some $2 billion to pay rent.

CECRA funding has been provided to a broad cross-section of Canadian small businesses in all provinces and territories, including retail, food services, education, health care, arts and entertainment sectors, helping them make their rent payments. With an average monthly rent of $7,000 and over 85% of the assisted businesses employing, on average, fewer than eight employees, this program has truly helped Canada's smallest businesses stay open.

I want to take a moment to thank the many property owners who have offered flexibility to their tenants or taken action to help them during this crisis, either through CECRA or by some other way. This has allowed tens of thousands of storefronts to remain open, helping to keep retail districts looking as normal as possible during this difficult period.

Initially intended to assist with rent payments for April, May and June, the program was extended to give hard-hit businesses help to cover rent into September. CECRA participants can apply until October 30 for the July to September extension.

In last month's Speech from the Throne, the government committed to take further steps to help businesses that are in trouble to get through to the other side of the pandemic. On October 9, the government announced its intention to introduce a new Canada emergency rent subsidy. This new program aims to allow businesses and other organizations that have suffered a decrease in income in this crisis to access rent and mortgage assistance until June 2021. This grant would be available to businesses and other organizations paying to occupy their premises. It would be offered directly to tenants, but would also support the owners of the buildings concerned.

The same day, the government also proposed to extend the Canada emergency wage subsidy to June 2021 to help businesses and other employers keep their employees on the payroll. This measure is part of the government's commitment to create over one million jobs and restore employment to the level it was before the pandemic.

In the face of an uncertain economic situation and tightening credit conditions, these measures have supported businesses while protecting the jobs Canadians depend on, helping small businesses get through the worst parts of the pandemic.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I share the hon. member's frustration. I share his passion and commitment toward getting this issue resolved as quickly as humanly possible.

As I stated on October 7, we are reforming the EI system so that it reflects how work is evolving in Canada. We are going to reshape the system for a successful economic recovery and for the 21st century. In the meantime, we have simplified EI to help Canadian workers weather the pandemic, and this includes easy access to work sharing.

There is also a suite of new benefits that are helping Canadian workers bridge the gap after receiving the CERB. I am talking about the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery sickness benefit and the Canada recovery caregiving benefit, which were all passed into law on October 2.

We fully support Canadian workers. Our main goal is to help Canadians get through this crisis.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Mégantic—L'Érable for his advocacy on this issue. We both have workers in our ridings that have been affected and that is why I appreciate his efforts. I appreciate the opportunity to work with him to see that this matter is resolved as quickly as possible. We both have one goal and one goal only, and that is to see that the workers in Mégantic—L'Érable and Windsor—Tecumseh receive the pay they are rightfully owed.

Before I begin to respond, I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on unceded Algonquin territory.

I would also like to make it clear that the Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canadian workers during this crisis.

As I stated on October 7, the workers in Princeville, Thetford Mines and Plessisville deserve our support. They expected our support when they applied for the work-sharing program last spring, and they will get our support.

The work-sharing program is very popular. It makes it possible for the Government of Canada to support employers and employees when there is a reduction in business activity like the one we are currently experiencing because of the pandemic.

The program not only allows employers to retain valued and skilled workers, but also allows employees to maintain their work skills. Employees who are eligible for EI are also eligible for work sharing.

When COVID-19 hit, we knew that the work-sharing program could be used to help people get through the pandemic. We worked quickly to make it available to more employers and workers by creating temporary special measures, and we started by doubling the maximum duration of an agreement to a year and a half. We also cut the time needed to set up work-sharing agreements, from six weeks to two weeks. We simplified the mandatory paperwork for employers, which included taking away the need for employers to submit financial documents along with their applications. Finally, to be more responsive to the COVID crisis, we extended the work-sharing program to workers considered essential to the boosting businesses, like those engaged in product development and marketing.

As I mentioned at the beginning, the work-sharing program has been very popular. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada, demand for agreements has risen nearly 4,000% compared with the last period of last year. As of October 20, 2020, Canada had over 3,500 work-sharing agreements in play involving over 115,000 workers. While the vast majority of these workers are receiving their work-sharing benefits without a hitch, some are unfortunately experiencing problems, as we heard from the member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

I want to state this for the record. As I stated on October 7, we are working very hard to fix that. Department officials are working day and night to get this job done. The workers from Princeville, Thetford Mines and Plessisville will get their due. They will not lose benefits as a result of this delay.

[Windsor International Film Festival, October 9th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I am honoured to speak in the House today to recognize the Windsor International Film Festival. WIFF is the largest volunteer-run film festival in Canada. Last year, it sold 42,000 tickets and showcased 165 movies over 10 days.

WIFF also screens the most Francophonie films of any festival in Canada, while at the same time serving as a champion of indigenous and LGBTQ2 pieces, helping spark important community conversations in Windsor—Tecumseh.

Under the bold leadership of Vincent Georgie, WIFF quickly adapted to COVID, transforming Festival Plaza on the Detroit River into WIFF Under the Stars, the only drive-in movie theatre in the world on an international border. Eighteen hundred vehicles and 4,000 film lovers and families took in the movies.

The Windsor International Film Festival is the premier film festival of the Great Lakes region. I congratulate WIFF and thank the 300 volunteers who make it a huge success.

[Taxation, October 8th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians take unprecedented actions in the fight against COVID-19, workers on the front line and in essential services are stepping up to serve their communities.

The pandemic has put a tremendous burden on these workers who are saving lives, ensuring the safety and integrity of our food supply, and providing essential retail services. Our government will ensure that they are properly compensated for their efforts. Through a new transfer of up to $3 billion to the provinces and territories, we will provide a temporary increase to the salaries of the millions of low-income workers deemed essential in the fight against COVID-19.