Finance committee  Littler, we've heard from previous testimony here at the finance committee that the average small business has taken on $170,000 in non-bank debt during the pandemic. We also heard at our last meeting that small businesses are being denied HASCAP loans because they can't provide a revenue projection. Unfortunately, the government has absolutely no concrete plan with any sort of benchmarks for a safe reopening, making it impossible for these businesses to be able to project revenue.

Transport committee  I'd like to move on now to the cruise ship industry. Minister, the cruise ship industry has been decimated, as you know, through this pandemic. I'll give you some numbers and hopefully you're aware of these. In 2019 the Canadian cruise industry comprised 29,000 jobs paying $1.43 billion in wages. That same year, the industry generated a total of $4.25 billion in economic activity.

Finance committee  Ms. Besse, I have a question for you. If I may be so bold as to ask you, has the pandemic impacted your bottom line, your profitability, at all?

Official Languages committee  She often listens to the news from Radio-Canada or the press briefings by Mr. Legault in order to find out what to do during the pandemic. You mentioned that in your comments. Have corrections been made?

Official Languages committee  In the course of our studies, we have seen how important it is to be served in one's own language, especially in an emergency situation with the pandemic. You began to explain how you were in the process of making improvements within the agency. You even mentioned September as a deadline. Could you tell us what steps you are presently taking to respond to the recommendations from the Commissioner of Official Languages?

Transport committee  I think it's very unfortunate, and I believe the stakeholders I have talked to in the airline sector would agree that their sector, and beyond their sector, has been used as a scapegoat and as a punching bag for your government's inability to manage this pandemic. Speaking of stakeholders, this is a quote from last month from the CEO of WestJet. During the course of the decision by the government not to provide funding for WestJet or Air Canada, “we have lost 23% market share to international carriers, and I think that is disgraceful.”

Labour  Canadians should not have to suffer economic hardship as a result of the government's inaction. Is the Liberal government waiting for another crisis before it steps in? With the pandemic, the Canadian economy cannot withstand a new strike. Why did the government not do more to make sure that the parties could come to an agreement that works for everyone?

Ethics  Speaker, here we are in the middle of another series of Liberal cover-ups, all to protect the Prime Minister. It is in the middle of a pandemic when other countries have governments spending their time making sure they get their economies back on track, and these Liberals are looking to cover up corruption. Canadians want a great Canadian comeback, and with these Liberals, they are focused on a great Canadian cover-up.

Health  Despite this, the Liberals want to reduce the penalties for these drug traffickers who are responsible for the harms in our community. It is shocking. Sadly, drug dealers are not the only culprit. Since the start of this pandemic, overdose deaths have doubled in B.C. Social isolation from lockdowns and a lack of clarity about the future are creating serious consequences on the mental health of Canadians, and the government voted down our motion to create a data-driven plan to get out of it.

Natural Resources  We support thousands of direct and indirect jobs that support business, our communities and the families that thrive within. If we are to recuperate from the pandemic's economic fallout, we cannot twiddle our thumbs with Canada's most important export resource at the mercy of foreign competitors. I call upon the government to support my motion to further stand by our energy sector workers.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, a constituent in Kelowna—Lake Country wrote to me to say that “...the stonewalling and contempt for the intelligence of the electorate is staggering”. We have seen their true character through the actions of the Liberals during this pandemic. Someone's true character often comes out during times of incredible stress. In times of crisis, we see heroes emerge who perform incredible acts of courage and physical strength, or beautiful gestures of care to help someone, or laser-focused leadership.

Business of Supply  I expressed concerns when the Liberals shut down committees almost completely in the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, leaving a lot of gaps in the scrutiny of legislation, emerging issues and important studies that needed more review. Many committees barely sat for most of the year. One of the other issues is how committees can hear from witnesses, and I have seen first-hand how important committee work can be.

Business of Supply  To the working people, to the people who are bagging groceries and serving on the front lines paying taxes throughout this pandemic, half a billion dollars is not nothing. They do not get speaking fees from powerful organizations like WE. They work hard every day for their money, and they deserve answers on what the Prime Minister did with that money.

Business of Supply  That, with a view to support the authority of committees in their important inquiries of public interest: (a) regarding the study on questions of conflict of interest and lobbying in relation to pandemic spending by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, (i) an order of the House do issue for due diligence reports, in the care, custody or control of the Privy Council Office, respecting the Canada Student Service Grant, and that these documents be deposited, in both official languages, with the Clerk of the Committee no later than Thursday, April 1, 2021, (ii) Rick Theis, the Prime Minister's Director of Policy and Cabinet Affairs, be ordered to appear before the committee on Monday, March 29, 2021, at 2 p.m., (iii) Amitpal Singh, the Deputy Prime Minister's Policy Advisor, be ordered to appear before the committee on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at 2 p.m., (iv) Ben Chin, the Prime Minister's Senior Advisor, be ordered to appear before the committee on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at 2 p.m.; (b) regarding the study on addressing sexual misconduct issues in the Canadian Armed Forces by the Standing Committee on National Defence, Zita Astravas, formerly the Minister of National Defence's chief of staff and the Prime Minister's Director of Issues Management and currently the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness's chief of staff, be ordered to appear before the committee on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at 10 a.m.; (c) should the Prime Minister instead appear before the committees mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b), at any of the dates and times mentioned, for at least three hours, the witness otherwise scheduled to appear, and any other witnesses scheduled to appear before the same committee at a later time, be relieved of their obligation to appear pursuant to this order; and (d) it be an instruction to the Chairs of the committees mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) to convene televised meetings of their respective committee, at the dates and times mentioned, for at least three hours, for the purpose of receiving evidence from the individuals then ordered to appear or the Prime Minister, as the case may be, unless the individual has been relieved from attending under the provisions of paragraph (c), provided that the witnesses be required to appear until discharged by the committee.

Industry committee  My first question, though, I would like to address to Bell Textron Canada, as I know you have a presence in Calgary. I'm just wondering what the impact of government measures and the pandemic has been on your Calgary operations. I understand that facility is primarily responsible for sourcing materials for several Canadian Forces bases here in Canada and overseas. Have there been substantial reductions or staff layoffs?