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Results: 121 - 135 of 915
View Heather McPherson Profile
NDP (AB)
View Heather McPherson Profile
2021-05-12 19:39 [p.7147]
Madam Speaker, that response was absolutely outrageous. How am I supposed to go back to the guys on the picket line at CESSCO and tell them that this was the response when I said that there was a problem with the program, and I have raised it time and time again. I guess the government is not going to fix this issue.
CESSCO is not the only company that is taking money from the Canadian emergency wage subsidy and using these funds to avoid collective bargaining. According to its own financial statements, Foremost Income Fund, an industrial manufacturing company, took $8.9 million in the federal COVID fund and another million so far in 2021. It is not using those funds to pay the workers; it is demanding that the workers take a 10% pay cut. Things must be rough for the company. No, they are not. In fact, at the same time it took that, it paid $7.1 million in dividends to shareholders and increased executive pay—
View Francesco Sorbara Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Speaker, our government needed to step up quickly and decisively to prevent Canadians, families and Canadian businesses from falling off an economic cliff when COVID-19 struck. We needed to encourage employers impacted by the pandemic to retain and rehire employees by delivering assistance as quickly as practical and as possible.
To achieve this and ensure that the wage subsidy would be targeted to those in need, we required that employers experience a decrease in revenue to qualify, but otherwise kept conditions to a minimum. As a result, well over five million Canadian employees have had their jobs supported through the wage subsidy, with well over $76 billion paid out in wage subsidies as of April 25.
View Francis Drouin Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to speak to Bill C-30, budget implementation act, 2021, no. 1, introduced by my colleague the Minister of Finance. This is a first in Canadian history and I think it deserves to be acknowledged once again, as many members of the House already have. As the first woman to introduce a budget implementation bill in the House, the finance minister has broken down another barrier and inspired young girls in the process.
The budget essentially has three main themes. First, since March 2020, our objective has been to help Canadians get through the pandemic. Second, we want to help build a bridge to help SMEs get through the pandemic, since many small and medium-sized businesses have had to close their doors because of lockdown measures. Third, once the pandemic is over, we want a fair, equitable and green economic recovery. My speech today will address these three themes.
The objective of budget 2021 is obviously to help Canadians, for example through programs like the Canada emergency benefit or the Canada emergency wage subsidy.
Many members know that workers have unfortunately lost their jobs as a result of lockdown measures or because schools are closed and they need to stay home with their kids. A number of measures in budget 2021 will be extended until September to help Canadians through the crisis.
I just mentioned the Canada emergency wage subsidy. I have spoken with several business owners who were calling for this benefit to be extended beyond June 2021. It has been extended until September 25. This is good news for our small businesses, which have done an outstanding job of adapting and finding new ways to serve their customers.
I want to take a moment to commend the Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation for the work it has done through the minister responsible for economic development. The corporation gave subsidies of up to $20,000 to help businesses adapt to the digital economy and develop an online presence, allowing residents to purchase products and services. Congratulations to everyone who made this happen.
As I mentioned earlier, the Canada emergency wage subsidy will be extended to September 25.
Regarding help for businesses that had to close down, we also extended the rent subsidy program. It has been so important for many of those businesses that are either paying rent or a mortgage but are forced to be closed. I think about hair salons that, in some parts of Ontario, have not opened in over a year. One can tell the region somebody comes from by the type of haircut they have. Some people have very long hair right now. Needless to say, these salons are an important part of our economy and I am glad we are helping them with the rent support program.
The CEBA loan was also extended. It has helped many businesses in my riding. Businesses can apply for up to $60,000, and if they reimburse it prior to a certain date, they can get access to a $20,000 grant.
Now, here are some of the measures we have outlined in budget 2021.
Fair, equitable and green economic recovery was one of the main themes of this budget. I am thinking primarily of child care. If we want a strong economy and economic recovery, we need to make sure that women participate equitably in our economy.
It is true that promises have been made before—some were even made when I was 7, apparently. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance are determined to ensure that this program is implemented once and for all. I hope we will have all-party support, as this is a very important measure.
When I was young, I could easily visit my grandmother, whose house was just behind ours. My mother had to go back to work after only three months of maternity leave. Not every parent has the option of having a family member look after their children. That is why access to child care and the cost of those services are so important.
We know that parents can spend from $40 to $100 a day per child for child care, sometimes more. They often wonder whether they should just stay at home to look after their children because it is simply not worth it for them to participate in the economy or to work while they have children at home. That is not a choice that people should have to make in our society, in a G7 country like Canada.
The Government of Quebec has had a proper child care program in place for decades. It is a great example. There is no reason why Ontario and the other provinces should not have a similar program. I am sure that the negotiations will be successful and that the Minister of Finance will get positive results for our families, who are so dependent on affordable child care. That is why we want to reduce the cost of such services by half by 2022 and cap it at $10 per day by 2025-26. That is a realistic and worthy objective that will help families across Canada.
The other important measure in the budget and in this act is help for our seniors. During the election campaign, we promised to increase support for seniors by 10% starting at age 75 for a very simple reason. Starting at age 65, seniors have access to old age security, as well as the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors. The guaranteed income supplement was increased by 10% in 2016, another promise that we kept.
Now we have committed to increasing old age security starting at age 75 for another very simple reason, which is that most seniors exhaust their savings before they reach 75 and suffer the consequences, with some falling below the poverty line. The proposed increase has a noble purpose, and it fulfills our campaign commitment.
Another important aspect of budget 2021 is none other than the issue of a green economic recovery.
I am so glad we are finally focusing on a green economic recovery. The measures in budget will reduce corporate tax rates by 50% for those manufacturers that produce zero-emissions technology. What a great incentive to position Canada as a go-to partner for the world to reuse our products. If we want to get to net zero by 2050, Canada has to do its part, but other countries have to do their part as well. There is no reason why Canada cannot be a provider of net-zero emissions technology. The incentive to reduce the tax rate by 50% is a great example.
Finally, I know we get accused of not being fiscally responsible. We are being compared to the 1990s, so I am will recall some facts. In the 1990s, the debt-to-GDP was 66% and the interest rates were at 12%. Thankfully, we are no where near that. I know that the debt-to-GDP ratio will rise to 51.2%, but then it will decline to 49.2%. By next year, the deficit will be reduced by half and by the following year, the deficit will be reduced even further by half again.
We are on a clear path to get to a budgetary balance, but we will also ensure we do not leave anyone behind. Budget 2021 is all about that. We want a fair, green economic recovery that leaves no one behind.
View Erin O'Toole Profile
CPC (ON)
View Erin O'Toole Profile
2021-05-11 14:20 [p.7057]
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office and the Privy Council Office used the term “sexual harassment” five times in emails regarding General Vance.
Why did the Prime Minister personally sign off on General Vance's pay raise while his office was investigating the allegations of sexual harassment?
View Justin Trudeau Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Justin Trudeau Profile
2021-05-11 14:21 [p.7057]
Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition well knows, it was not my office that looked into these allegations because it would be inappropriate for a politician's office to follow up on and investigate allegations.
That is precisely why my office made sure that this file was handed over to the appropriate authorities for independent follow-up. Our government has always taken the responsibility of protecting the women and men who serve in the armed forces seriously, and we will always be there to support survivors.
View Erin O'Toole Profile
CPC (ON)
View Erin O'Toole Profile
2021-05-11 14:21 [p.7057]
Mr. Speaker, five different times the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council Office and the minister's office all used the phrase “sexual harassment” in emails regarding General Vance. A senior Liberal told the Toronto Star this weekend that the PMO and PCO both knew it was of a sexual nature.
Why did the Prime Minister personally sign off on General Vance's pay raise while his office was actively covering up allegations of sexual harassment?
View Justin Trudeau Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Justin Trudeau Profile
2021-05-11 14:22 [p.7057]
Mr. Speaker, that is simply not the truth. When allegations were brought forward from the ombudsperson to the Minister of National Defence, he knew that it would be inappropriate for politicians to engage in such an investigation. That is why he forwarded it to the appropriate authorities at the PCO, so they could follow up on it. That, by the way, was exactly the same process followed when the leader of the opposition was in government and received allegations concerning General Vance.
We followed the right process on this and we know we have much more to do to ensure the protection of anyone who wants to come forward.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
View Raquel Dancho Profile
2021-05-11 14:39 [p.7060]
Mr. Speaker, while small businesses in my riding are struggling with yet another lockdown, the Liberals have been showering their rich Bay Street friends with millions of taxpayer dollars. We recently learned that a hedge fund company worth $180 billion in assets received nearly $3 million from the taxpayer through the wage subsidy.
Meanwhile a woman entrepreneur in my riding who opened up a gym right before the pandemic hit has been unable to qualify for any federal programs. The Liberals refuse to fix it.
Will the Prime Minister explain to women entrepreneurs why Bay Street hedge funds deserve more support than they do?
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the member's question gives me an opportunity to talk about how important it is that our business support programs, including the wage subsidy, continue to be in place and will be in place until September 25. The wage subsidy alone has supported more than 5.3 million jobs, that is 5.3 million Canadians and Canadian families.
When it comes to small business and women entrepreneurs, I am very pleased to inform the member opposite that this budget provides unprecedented support for small business and unprecedented support for women entrepreneurs.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
View Raquel Dancho Profile
2021-05-11 14:41 [p.7060]
Mr. Speaker, the member did not answer my question, particularly not for the female entrepreneur in my riding. She did not address the fact that Liberals provided $2.9 million to Fiera Capital, a hedge fund whose executives and shareholders made over $100 million in bonus and dividends last year.
I feel this is a tremendous disrespect to Canadian taxpayers because we are seeing regular hard-working middle-class Canadians struggling through yet another wave of lockdowns, and they will be the ones who will pay for all this Liberal borrowed debt through tax hikes.
Why is the minister sticking hard-working Canadians with the bill and allowing rich money managers to make millions on taxpayers?
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of suppositions in that question that are not accurate, but let me talk about the most important thing, which is that our business and income support programs have provided and continue to provide a critical lifeline to Canadians and to Canadian businesses. The wage subsidy alone has supported 5.3 million jobs across the country. We are going to be there to support Canadians as we fight this third wave.
View Luc Berthold Profile
CPC (QC)
View Luc Berthold Profile
2021-05-11 14:42 [p.7060]
Mr. Speaker, I have an important question.
As small businesses fight to survive, especially in Quebec's red zones, the minister is turning a blind eye to problems with the Canada emergency wage subsidy.
JM Fund Management was so successful in 2020 that it was ranked as the third-best-performing hedge fund in Canada, and it received thousands of dollars from the federal government. Meanwhile, countless small businesses got nothing and are angry about ultra-rich funds cashing in on the pandemic.
Why does the Prime Minister think his Bay Street buddies deserve more support than Canada's small businesses?
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question, which gives me an opportunity to reassure all Canadians and all Canadian businesses that the federal government will be there for them. All of our programs to support businesses and Canadians have served a critical purpose, especially now as the third wave of the pandemic is hitting us hard. The wage subsidy enabled 5.3 million Canadians to keep their jobs.
View Leona Alleslev Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the defence minister and Katie Telford withheld critical information about Canada's top soldier from the Prime Minister. Tragically, the Prime Minister gave General Vance a performance bonus, a pay raise, and allowed him to continue in his position despite serious unresolved allegations of misconduct against him. This is reprehensible and should never have happened. Under the Prime Minister, no one is at fault. No one is held accountable.
Will the Prime Minister admit that he was wrong to reward General Vance while allegations of misconduct remained unresolved?
View Harjit S. Sajjan Profile
Lib. (BC)
View Harjit S. Sajjan Profile
2021-05-11 14:51 [p.7062]
Mr. Speaker, our government takes allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously. No one should feel unsafe at work. That is why we created the sexual misconduct response centre, which provides confidential 24-7 support services to CAF members anywhere in the world. We also listened to survivors. We put in place a response and support coordination program for CAF members who have experienced sexual misconduct.
We have a lot more work to do and we will get it done.
Results: 121 - 135 of 915 | Page: 9 of 61

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