COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, absolutely, we are continuing to do the work. We are listening to businesses all over the country, particularly the businesses that are in the north. We are continuing to do this work, which is not done yet, to make sure that businesses get the cash flow support they

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, the Canadian emergency wage subsidy is, of course, available so that we can help keep our businesses and save our jobs. We know that businesses are much better primed for recovery when a business and its employees are together, which is why we have implemented a prog

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, we know that sectors such as tourism, as well as seasonal businesses, are facing the unique realities and challenges of COVID-19. That is why our government announced additional supports just last week through our regional development agencies, as well as through the

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, we are working very hard to get this out as soon as we possibly can, because we know how urgent and how important it is for businesses to see this support for their employees.

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, that is a really good question. I want the hon. member to know we are listening intently. We are working on that very issue and hope to be able to share information very shortly.

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, all of our businesses across the country and our entrepreneurs and business owners are really important, and it is essential that we support them through this period. That is why we launched many of the measures to help them through this difficult period. However, a

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, that business, like so many of our businesses across the country, is absolutely so important to our communities. That is why we have been listening so intently to business owners' concerns and have made available the many measures to help them keep their employees, h

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, in fact, one of the examples I have shared recently is an example like the one the member just provided, which is of a company that has been able to take advantage of the wage subsidy to keep its employees on staff. It has been able to take advantage of the loan beca

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, my department does a call every day with literally over 1,000 businesses and associations, and very specific questions like this are coming up. I would like to follow up with the hon. member and provide him with information to help him with the businesses in his area

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, I appreciate that very good question. Know that, for those businesses, we are listening to them and we are working our way through it. We want to see all of our businesses, particularly those ones that the member just described, be supported through this very difficu

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, that is a really important question. The member is absolutely right. Small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of our communities. One of the most significant expenses that they take on is their rent. We have announced that we are going to provide assistance.

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, I will have to commit to returning with more details. What I can is this. As part of COVID-19, the billions of dollars that we have unleashed in capital, while guaranteed by BDC and EDC, are actually provided directly through financial institutions, such as the banks

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, for COVID-19, there has been a vast liquidity put out into the marketplace, and those loans can be available through financial institutions. The larger loans that are not the $40,000 interest-free loans are available at commercial rates. The purpose here is that the

COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Chair, the issue raised by the hon. member is exactly what we are trying to do here during the COVID-19 period, which is to help save our businesses and provide them with the liquidity support that is needed during this difficult time. It is why the Government of Canada has

COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Chair, I thank the member for his advocacy and what he highlights to me directly about how our programs are helping businesses and where more needs to be done. I really thank the hon. member for his tireless work, just like the examples he has shared with us now. I assure t