Business of Supply  Essentially, our industry fell off a cliff and then broke both legs. The truth is, we're still struggling. Prior to the pandemic, the food service sector was Canada's fourth-largest employer. We directly employed 1.2 million people. However, our industry lost more jobs in the first six weeks of the pandemic than the entire Canadian economy lost during the 2008-09 recession.

Business of Supply  Every day we see how important it is to unite communities, support jobs across the country and transport goods within Canada and internationally. As incomprehensible as it may seem, this critical sector may not recover from the pandemic, much less survive it, without urgent help from the federal government. They go on to say that Canada's airline industry could emerge from the pandemic in a weakened state, unable to compete against foreign carriers that have benefited from direct government aid that for some carriers has been in the billions of dollars.

Employment Insurance Act  Even CERB, EI, had multiple changes, which is the main part of this bill after all. Canadians have been relying on those programs over the course of the pandemic. It is no surprise that the Liberals did not have them down pat. One would think that by now they would get it, or at least after three or four tries, but it seems we are still dealing with the same dilemma.

Information & Ethics committee  As I have made clear, we are studying the lobbying with regard to pandemic spending. I do believe that it's within the order of the study. Mr. Poilievre, we'll turn back to you.

Information & Ethics committee  The study before the House is considerably broader than that, and so we will not limit the minister with regard to testimony he may be able to provide with regard to the investigation on pandemic spending, lobbying and the remainder of the study. We will turn back to Mr. Barrett.

Information & Ethics committee  I think for the benefit of all committee members, including the minister, I will now read from the notice of meeting, that, pursuant to the order of reference of March 25 on the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, November 16, 2020, the committee is resuming its study on questions of conflict of interest and lobbying in relation to pandemic spending. That is from the notice of meeting and so we will expect the minister to be able to provide answers with regard to the scope of the particular study. Mr. Barrett, we'll turn back to you.

Information & Ethics committee  Today we're continuing the study with regard to the questions of conflict of interest and lobbying in relation to pandemic spending. The hearings will be webcast and will be available on the House of Commons website. Today we have an unusual situation where we had a meeting scheduled by the expectation of the House, or the order of the House, but instead of the witnesses who we had planned, we have the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez joining us— Mr.

Business of Supply  If the government had planned ahead, if it had anticipated what was coming, as many people did, and if it had not dismantled Canada's small pandemic alert unit, which was the envy of all other countries, it would have seen the pandemic coming and could have planned for vaccines. Unfortunately, the government was not on the ball in terms of vaccine procurement.

Industry committee  Okay, thank you. Mr. Natale, did the pandemic influence or at least speed up your decision to merge the two companies?

Business of Supply  They wanted to strip Parliament of its power for 21 months. That was the initial foray of the government in this pandemic, to strip away the rights of members of Parliament to hold the government to account and to improve legislation that our constituents needed to see pass, but the Liberals knew best. They have known best this entire time.

Criminal Code  The need to improve access to mental health supports has been even more pressing during the pandemic. We know that the pandemic is negatively impacting the mental health of many Canadians. We have heard about the impact that pandemic restrictions have had on the well-being of seniors in particular.

Employment Insurance Act  We must get help to Canadians in need whose jobs have been eliminated as a result of the government-mandated restrictions and closures in response to the pandemic. Lockdowns are still in place in many parts of the country, and businesses cannot get back to normal even though they are working incredibly hard to do so. My constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are frustrated.

Employment Insurance Act  I hope the government, members of the media and the public will take note of the instances of co-operation that have taken place, often led by the Conservatives, and will point out the flaws in the narrative the Prime Minister is trying to spin to justify his pandemic election plans. Bill C-24 is an important bill that expands benefit programs in the context of the pandemic, and the Conservatives are supportive of it. At the same time, we have highlighted the need for the government to have a broader vision of where our country is going economically in the midst of the pandemic and what we hope will soon be the economic recovery coming out of it.

National Day of Observance for COVID-19  Many parents have struggled to help their kids with online learning at home. Canadians must also deal with a number of side effects associated with the pandemic. Many workers are concerned about the mental health of their colleagues. Thousands of cancer surgeries have been postponed. Drug and alcohol abuse rates have also increased. Domestic violence has become the shadow pandemic of COVID-19.

Employment Insurance Act  The Conservatives support getting help to Canadians in need, whose jobs have been eliminated as a result of government-mandated restrictions and closures in response to the pandemic. However, we are disappointed that once again the Liberal response to the pandemic in this bill and in the minister's speech resoundingly fail to put forward a worker-led, jobs-first economic recovery plan for a post-pandemic Canada.