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Results: 721 - 750 of 889
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind the member for Carleton that going into this crisis, Canada had the lowest unemployment rate we have had in 40 years, and I believe that there were a few Conservative governments during that period. They did not hit our record.
When it comes to international comparison, the better metric is labour force participation. Canada is at 78.5%, Australia is only at 77.5%, the U.S. is at 73% and South Korea is at 62.1%. We are higher than all of those countries.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we absolutely believe that everyone in Canada needs to pay their fair share, all the more so as we are fighting together against a global pandemic. That is why in the throne speech we committed to working to identify additional ways to tax extreme wealth inequality, including by concluding our work to limit the stock option deduction for wealthy individuals at large established corporations, and of course taxing the global digital giants.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would never be condescending to any member in the House, particularly to members talking about our small businesses.
I absolutely agree with the member opposite that now, at the time of the coronavirus crisis, they need our support. We committed in the throne speech to enhancing CEBA, and we are very hard at work on that. We will have more to say very soon.
We also committed to further support on fixed costs and to targeted support for businesses facing new lockdown measures. All of that will happen.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, contrary to the Conservatives' partisan spin, our economic policy is working. In fact, just last week, DBRS Morningstar reaffirmed Canada's AAA credit rating, saying:
[We view] the overall fiscal response positively, as the stimulus has been timely in delivery, temporary in design, and sufficient in size given the scale of the shock.
That is an independent ratings agency reaffirming our AAA. That is who to trust.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it is simply absurd to suggest that a credit ratings agency is somehow financially benefiting from our government's policies. I mean come on.
If the member for Carleton does not like hearing quotes from external experts, let me quote someone the member may prefer listening to: himself. I would like to remind people that in March, he said, “You might want to address [COVID-19] with big, fat government programs. We're Conservatives, so we don't believe in that.” Let me say to the nine million Canadians who benefited from the CERB, that is what—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government is very aware of the urgent need for rapid testing. We know that rapid tests can save lives and help keep our economy strong, but it is also very important for all of us to appreciate how valuable it is to live in a country where the independence of our health regulatory authorities is respected. Our lives quite literally depend on that.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely aware of the gravity of the global pandemic that we are fighting together. That is why, in the throne speech last week, we were very clear that we will do whatever it takes to support Canadians in the fight against this virus, to acquire essential vaccines, and to work closely with provinces, territories and municipalities on stepped-up testing and tracing efforts.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I do not know about the members opposite, but speaking for the members on this side of the House, I can say that we have all been very hard at work over the past six weeks. We put together the safe restart agreement at the beginning of the summer because we knew that a second wave would be coming. That is why we knew we needed to give the provinces $19 billion to help us get ready together. Then, just a few weeks ago, we knew it was a priority to get kids safely back to school, which was another $2 billion.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we have made significant investments in health care, and we will continue to make significant investments in this area, whether in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada.
Once again, my colleague is trying to start a fight between Quebec City and Ottawa. We do not want that. We want to work together. That is what we are doing now, and that is what we will do in the future.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I too have a great deal of respect for my hon. colleague.
However, I cannot agree with his comments that everyone should just look after their own affairs. We are in the midst of a global crisis, the biggest crisis since the Second World War. This is a time for all members and all provincial, territorial, municipal and federal leaders to work together in close collaboration. That is our approach.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we are not blackmailing anyone. We are co-operating and collaborating. That is why we made significant investments in health in Quebec and in all the provinces and territories.
In the safe restart agreement, $13 billion of the allotted $19 billion will go directly to health and the fight against COVID-19. That is true collaboration.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we agree with all members of the House and Quebec leaders that we are facing a very serious crisis with COVID-19. We must all work together. That is our government's approach.
That is why, for example, as part of the safe restart agreement, we gave more than $3 billion directly to Quebec to help it fight COVID-19. We will continue to do that.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we are not looking to divide our country. We want to work together, because this is a global crisis, a national crisis. That said, as we stated in the throne speech, we agree that people who are in a position to do so must do their part for Canada. This is why we mentioned taxes in the throne speech.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying I really believe strongly that today, at a time when we are confronting a global pandemic and our deepest economic crisis since the Second World War, is a time for all of us to bear a deep responsibility for uniting and not dividing Canadians. We also believe, of course, that we all have to pay our fair share. That is why in the Speech from the Throne we talked about taxing Internet giants and we talked about taxing stock options, and we are going to do that.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by pointing out just how much our government is doing for workers across Canada. Our government supported nearly nine million Canadians through the CERB; our government helped 3.5 million Canadians keep their jobs through the wage subsidy program; and our government helped 750 small businesses pay their rent. Clearly, we are here for Canadians, and we will continue to be here for them.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.
Our economic recovery plan is working. Members do not need to take my word for it. I want to read a quote from Lucy Iacovelli, Canadian managing partner of KPMG's national tax practice. She said, “Our clients have told us that the federal wage subsidy program is helping them not only to retain their employees, but also to cope with pandemic-related costs and rehire workers who have been laid off”.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the important question.
Right now, as our country is facing a global pandemic, it is important for us to unite rather than divide. It is more important than ever. Having said that, it is also really important for everyone in Canada to pay their fair share. That is why in the Speech from the Throne we committed to taxing Internet giants, to taxing stock options paid to executives at mature companies and to being sure that we have an inclusive society and an inclusive economy.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the economic support we have been providing to Canadians during the pandemic has not only prevented a great deal of human misery. It is also driving our economic recovery, and the member does not need to take my word for it. TD Bank economist Ksenia Bushmeneva said that the “...federal government income support programs...have so far been paramount for averting a delinquency tsunami” and protecting the economy.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me remind the member for Carleton and all Canadians of what he said on March 8 when asked about what support the government should offer to those very Canadians hurt by the pandemic. He said: “...You might want to address [COVID-19] with big, fat government programs. We're Conservatives, so we don't believe in that.”
Our government chose to support Canadians, and we are proud of it. I hate to imagine what the Conservatives would have done had they been elected in 2019.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member maybe does not understand is that, in fighting this pandemic, we have asked Canadians to make a really big sacrifice: We have asked Canadians to stay home. We are still asking Canadians to practise social distancing, because the best economic policy is to crush the coronavirus. To make it possible for Canadians to do that, our government is there for them, and we will continue to be.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses throughout this crisis. The mortgage deferrals from our banks have indeed been very helpful to many Canadian families. This is an issue that we are going to continue to be working on.
I also want to point out that the extensive support we have provided to individual Canadians and to Canadian small businesses has helped Canadians get through so far. As we said in the throne speech, we are committed to continuing to be there for Canadians as we fight, as the member opposite points out quite rightly, the second wave.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.
As the Prime Minister said yesterday, Canada now knows how to deal with the second wave of COVID-19.
Our priority in terms of both the economy and health is to combat the second wave. That is the responsibility of all members of the House. I would like to point out to Canadians that is also the responsibility of each and every Canadian. We can succeed, but we all have to try to work together.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, as Deputy Prime Minister, part of my job is to be accountable to this chamber when the Prime Minister is not here. It is a privilege for me to answer questions on behalf of the government from members on the other side of the House, and I am very happy to answer any questions the opposition has today.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
The non-partisan public service recommended this structure as the only way to deliver the program in the required time.
Obviously, the way this unfolded was regrettable, and that is why the charity is no longer administering the project.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the non-partisan public service recommended this structure as the only way to deliver the program in the required time. Obviously, the way this unfolded was regrettable, and that is why the charity is no longer administering the project. When it comes to the committee, we are co-operating with it, as we ought to do.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, as we heard clearly last week at committee, it was the non-partisan public service that recommended this structure as the only way to deliver the program in the required time.
Let me also be clear with Canadians that the way this unfolded was regrettable and the charity will no longer be administering the project.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it is neither. Let me simply be clear. As we heard from Canada's excellent public service last week, it was our non-partisan public service that recommended this structure as the only way to deliver the program in the required time. Obviously, the way this unfolded was regrettable, and that is why it is important for me to assure Canadians that the charity is no longer administering the project.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.
I want to acknowledge how important it is for our government to support Canadians at this time of serious economic crisis.
We understand the importance of supporting Canadians. We are doing that now, and I want to assure the House that we will continue to do so.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I can assure you and all members of the House and all Canadians that our government understands the importance of supporting all Canadians during this very serious economic crisis. We do understand the importance of supporting people with serious illnesses.
We are working on it, and we will keep doing this important work.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
What our government understands is the importance of helping young Canadians today. Economic history has shown that recessions pose a particular threat to young people, which is why our government is here to support that generation.
That is a promise from our government to all young Canadians.
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