COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister announced earlier that the CERB would be changed to allow people to work and be eligible. This motion today calls on the government to make those changes. It is being stated both here in the House and in the media that the program is now open to thos

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, can the minister explain whether legislative changes would be required to the CERB for this to come into effect?

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, the legislation that created the Canadian emergency response benefit has that someone must cease working due to COVID-19 to access the benefit. However, the Liberal MP for Malpeque has instructed seasonal workers and students who have lost their jobs to apply anyway. A

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, I also hope that the government is suggesting that people follow the law. Can the minister confirm whether she has sought clarification as to when Parliament would have to be recalled for any legislation? We have members of Parliament who would like to know.

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, the minister mentions speculation. I asked the minister earlier about whether she would need to have legislative changes in order to be able to deliver what the Prime Minister said. She said there would have to be. When we were last here, I asked the Minister of Emplo

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, we now know that anyone who applies for the CERB, regardless of eligibility, will get it. Is it the government's plan to conduct audits on millions of people to determine who got it and who should not have? What will be the consequences of defrauding the taxpayer?

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, it is an immense privilege for me to be here today to stand up for the people of my region, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, but also for all business owners in Quebec. As a business owner myself, I understand their reality and their concerns. Many people

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, I am thinking of seasonal workers. Many seasonal workers are close to exhausting their EI benefits. Even if they wanted to work, they will not have jobs waiting for them in the spring, because of COVID-19. They were not able to work, but they were not forced to stop w

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, I would like to ask the minister when seasonal workers will be eligible and when that will be announced.

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, in the agricultural sector, dairy producers are having to dump their milk down the drain because restaurants and institutions, most of which are closed, are not ordering it. Pork producers may have to have some of their pigs put down because COVID-19 means meat packers

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, how is the government going to help very small businesses whose payroll is less than $50,000? I am thinking of chiropractors, hairdressers, barbers, massage therapists and so on. I am a business person too, so I feel qualified to talk about this. Businesses with a mil

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, the government has been promising a review of business risk management programs since 2015. Farmers need immediate assistance as they are facing a cash flow crisis while trying to buy their inputs for this year's crops. Measures offered thus far have only put them furt

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, agriculture and food need to be deemed an essential service to protect our food supply chain. Last week, Public Safety Canada made an announcement on essential services but stated, “These essential services and functions are advisory in nature. This guidance is not, no

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, the pork industry needs immediate assistance. In Ontario and Quebec, there is a bottleneck in processing plants. Some of these plants are closed due to COVID-19 and workers do not feel safe going to work. If these processing plants do not reopen soon, farmers will be f

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, ornamental horticulture greenhouse growers are facing a crisis across Canada as nurseries and garden centres are not opening, leaving more than $2 billion in plant inventories. What initiatives is the government discussing to address this sector, which does not quali