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Results: 331 - 360 of 889
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-20, An Act to amend the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador Additional Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments Act.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, when we created the emergency relief programs for businesses, it was very important for us to bridge as many businesses as possible through the pandemic. We also knew we needed to balance that urgent need for support with the creation of programs that have real integrity. Finding that balance can be a challenge, but I am very aware of the challenges that new businesses face. This is something we are looking at closely.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the question because it gives me the opportunity to congratulate Canadian businesses on their resilience.
Our GDP increased 0.3% in December, nearly twice as much as the consensus forecast, and our fourth-quarter GDP increased 1.9%. That is an annualized rate of 7.8% and nearly twice as much as the Bank of Canada's forecast.
COVID is tough for our economy and our businesses, but they are doing a terrific job.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the truth is that our government's policies are working. They are supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses in a very difficult time.
Let me quote David Parkinson in The Globe and Mail:
Examining the economic data of 2020, there’s no question that the federal government’s emergency income-replacement programs were a critical lifeline for Canada during the pandemic. We would have plunged into a much deeper economic hole without them....
That is true, and we are going to continue supporting Canadians and Canadian—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government understands very clearly the importance of the energy sector to the Canadian economy and the importance of the energy sector as a provider of valuable, high-paying, very often union jobs. As finance minister, I am very aware of this and very aware of the importance of the energy sector in contributing to Canada's balance of trade. Yes, our government has and will continue to stand up for the energy sector and for energy workers.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our government understands very well the importance of the energy sector to the Canadian economy, the importance of the energy sector as a provider of great, high-paying, often unionized jobs and the importance of the energy sector as a contributor to our balance of trade. When it comes to the trading relationship with the United States, let me say that our government has a lot of experience in dealing with a sometimes volatile, but always essential, relationship. We are going to keep on doing just that.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me remind Canadians of the situation with vaccines. Canada has secured 10 doses of vaccine per Canadian and has the most diverse and extensive vaccine portfolio in the world. More than 1.1 million doses have already arrived in Canada. Six million will arrive by the end of the first quarter. Every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be by September.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I agree that the vaccine issue is urgent. It is our government's priority. That is why we have secured 10 doses of vaccine per Canadian and why we have already received over 1.1 million doses. That is why Canada will receive a total of six million doses by the end of the first quarter and why every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be by September 2021.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that 1.1 million doses have already arrived in Canada and that six million will arrive by the end of the first quarter. The Prime Minister and the entire government are very committed to this urgent work. The Prime Minister himself just spoke with the heads of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca. The work is proceeding.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
This program was never designed to encourage Canadians to violate clear public health advisories against international travel. I want to take a moment to tell Canadians that they should not be travelling right now.
We are taking immediate action to address this issue so that other international travellers cannot access this benefit upon their return.
I hope the opposition members will support and help us.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate to all Canadians and all Quebeckers that international travel is not advised right now. It is dangerous for the country, and it is dangerous for our communities.
Regarding the program, let me say this: we are taking immediate measures to resolve this problem to stop international travellers from having access to this benefit on their return. As far as the borders are concerned, we are working on measures to make Canada's already very strict measures even stricter.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the plan is as follows. First, we have the most complete and diverse vaccine portfolio in the world, with 10 doses per Canadian.
We have already received 1.1 million doses and we will receive six million by the end of the first quarter. Every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be by September 2021.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly focused on vaccines and so is our government, and that is why I am glad to have the chance to offer Canadians these facts and this plan. We have the most diverse and extensive vaccine portfolio in the world: 10 doses per Canadian, 1.1 million doses have already arrived in our country and six million by the end of the first quarter, and every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be by September.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, [Technical difficulty—Editor] based on the tremendous uncertainty about the future path. There is tremendous variance among economists' forecasts. The Bank of Canada's Monetary Policy Report, which came out last week, predicted a 4% growth rate in 2021. It is also worth pointing out that in November, the Canadian economy outperformed forecasts on jobs and GDP growth.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government's priority today is fighting and conquering the coronavirus. We absolutely understand that all provinces and territories have put in place some necessary restrictions to fight the virus, and we support that work. The best economic policy for Canada right now is a strong health policy, and that is why the Government of Canada is providing strong support to Canadian workers and Canadian businesses to get through to the other side of the coronavirus. Once we get there, we will come roaring back.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I believe the member opposite is referring to the wage subsidy program. That program has been an essential part of our federal government's work during this unprecedented pandemic. It has played an essential role in helping more than four million Canadians keep their jobs. That has been one of the most important measures which has led to a much stronger jobs recovery in Canada than, for example, in the United States. It is an essential program, and we are glad it is in place to save Canadian jobs.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, there is an intense competition for vaccines in the world today.
In anticipation of this global race, Canada took precautions. We secured the world's most extensive vaccine portfolio from seven companies, with 10 doses for every Canadian. That is why Canada has already vaccinated more people per capita than our G7 peers of Germany, Japan and France, and more than our Five Eyes partners of Australia and New Zealand.
There is no more urgent issue for this government than getting Canadian vaccinated, and together we will get it done.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, there is no more urgent issue for our government and for Canadians than getting vaccines. That is why over the past few days the Prime Minister has spoken with the CEOs of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna.
Let me remind Canadians that 1.1 million vaccine doses are already here, six million doses will arrive in the first quarter, and every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be vaccinated by September.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, every Canadian who wants a vaccine will get one by September, and we are offering very clear, precise details to Canadians in saying that 1.1 million vaccines have already arrived in our country and six million doses will arrive by the end of the first quarter.
There is a global race on to get vaccines, and Canada is urgently engaged in getting them for Canadians.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, this program was never designed to encourage Canadians to violate clear public health advisories against international travel.
We are taking immediate action to address this issue so that international travellers cannot access this benefit upon their return. It is a shame that the opposition members blocked our attempt to close that loophole.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government's position is crystal clear. No one should be travelling abroad right now. Our government's position on this loophole is just as clear. We want to close the loophole and we want to do that now.
It is a shame that the opposition members do not agree.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, this program was never designed to encourage Canadians to violate clear public health advisories against international travel. I want to be very clear today: Nobody should be vacationing abroad right now.
We think everyone needs to step up together to close this loophole. We want to do it now, and we can do it now.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the Bloc leader. We have worked well together on such things as the aluminum file, for example.
That is why I am deeply disappointed that the Bloc leader has twice made incorrect comments about my colleague, the Minister of Transport. I would like to give him the opportunity to publicly apologize in the House.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, there is an intense global competition for vaccines, as we have always known. That is why Canada secured the largest vaccine portfolio in the world, with vaccines from seven different suppliers and 10 doses for every Canadian. Canada has already vaccinated more people per capita than our G20 peers, including Germany, Japan and France, and our Five Eyes partners, including Australia and New Zealand. Vaccines are our government's priority.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying that I share the member opposite's concern and his anguish over people in long-term care facilities, and I think this is a concern shared by all Canadians. This is something we need to urgently address, and our government is doing just that, working in close collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners.
Let me also say that I think it is entirely appropriate for us as a country to examine very carefully the standards in long-term care, to set national standards and to examine what kind of care protects our seniors best.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it is really important in the massive support programs that we have put in place for Canadian businesses, such as the wage subsidy and rent subsidy, to also ensure the integrity of those programs. That is something we take very seriously. With new businesses, there are challenges in doing that. Having said that, I take this question very seriously. It is something I hear about too and I am concerned with, and it is something we are looking at closely.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
I completely agree that my priority as Minister of Finance is to support our businesses, especially our small and medium-sized businesses. That is why we have introduced extraordinary programs to support them, programs like the Canada emergency wage subsidy, the Canada emergency rent subsidy and additional measures for businesses targeted by new lockdown measures.
As for tourism, we announced additional supports in November. We will continue—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that our government is absolutely seized with. That is why, in the fall economic statement in November, I announced our plan to introduce a tax-based measure to target specifically the unproductive use of domestic housing in Canada owned by non-residents and non-Canadians. It is something we are definitely focused on.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, today marks two years since Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were arbitrarily detained in China. These years have been stolen from Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor, from their families and loved ones. I know that all Canadians admire the integrity and strength of character these two men have shown. I would also like pay tribute to their families. The release of these two brave Canadians is an absolute priority for our government.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I have long personal experience reporting on authoritarian communist regimes and I am very aware of the threat they pose. When it comes to China, Canada is appalled by the treatment of the Uighurs. We stand with the people of Hong Kong, especially the Canadian citizens there, and the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig is an absolute priority for our government.
Results: 331 - 360 of 889 | Page: 12 of 30

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