Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows, I have been in regular communication with workers in the automotive and manufacturing sectors and across multiple sectors on many issues important to them, including the SUBs, the supplemental unemployment benefits. We have committed to modernizing EI.

Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. minister for providing an opportunity to speak to this important legislation today. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking from the traditional and ancestral lands of the Three Fires confederacy, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa and the Potawatomi.

Employment  Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to keeping Canadians safe and supported during the pandemic. That is why we introduced Bill C-24, which extends the number of weeks available under EI regular benefits. With some workers beginning to exhaust their benefits in late March, this bill will ensure that Canadians have the support they need.

Canada Revenue Agency  Madam Speaker, our government has been clear from the beginning of the pandemic that we will always be there to support Canadians. The Canada emergency response benefit eligibility criteria clearly stated that a person had to earn at least $5,000 in 2019, or over the last 12 months, from employment income, self-employment income or provincial benefit payments related to maternity or paternity leave.

Canada Revenue Agency  Madam Speaker, when the pandemic hit, we quickly introduced the CERB, helping more than eight million Canadians put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. We know this continues to be a difficult time for many, and we will continue to be there for Canadians who need help.

Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act  Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to Bill C-218 and the importance of single sports betting to my community and to Canada. The bill would decriminalize new forms of sports gambling in Canada. While Canadians across the country are currently permitted to place bets on a series of sports events, a form of parlay betting, they are prohibited from placing a bet on an event in, or on an outcome of, a single game or match.

Employment  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay for his question. His constituents are well served by his advocacy. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been there for Canadian workers and continue to be there for them. Of all the programs and benefits, the CERB was the main support piece.

Employment  Madam Speaker, as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion said, it is unfair to say that we are going after workers. The entire intention of the CERB was to protect people from potentially catastrophic income loss, and it worked. I want to reassure Canadians who got a letter from the CRA that it does not mean they were ineligible for the CERB.

Taxation  Madam Speaker, as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion has said, it is unfair to say that we are going after workers. The CERB was there to support workers who had lost their income because of COVID-19. People who received a letter from the CRA should not assume that they are ineligible for the CERB.

Taxation  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Edmonton Strathcona for advocacy on behalf of her constituents. I want to be clear. The Government of Canada is there for Canadian workers and continues to be there for them. The CERB was the keystone piece of that support. During the darkest months of the pandemic crisis, we helped more than 8.9 million Canadians who lost their income.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the balance of the fund as of March 1, 2020, is not available. However, the audited financial statements of the employment insurance operating account were prepared for the year ended March 31, 2020. These statements were tabled in the House of Commons as part of the Public Accounts of Canada, section 4, consolidated accounts, as at March 31, 2020.

Canada Revenue Agency  Madam Speaker, our focus since day one has been on supporting Canadians through this crisis. When Canadians needed support the most, the Canada emergency response benefit was there to help nearly nine million Canadians pay their bills and be there for their families. In some cases, Canadians applied to the CERB in good faith but were not eligible.

Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, persons with disabilities are affected by every decision and have the right to be included in every process and system from the outset. This is why the Government of Canada is committed to a disability inclusive recovery that ensures that no one is left behind and that our systems are better able to respond to the needs of all Canadians.

Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for his advocacy on behalf of the constituents in his riding. As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have the opportunity to work together to ensure that our recovery efforts are disability inclusive and leave no one behind.

Post-Secondary Education  Mr. Speaker, we know that post-secondary students across Canada are facing unprecedented challenges. That is why we launched the suite of measures that included direct financial support, funding to double Canada student grants, a temporary moratorium on Canada student loan payments and investments that allowed students to gain the experience they needed to start their careers.