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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 198

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 16, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 198 - May/17/23
Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)
  • May/17/23 12:07:47 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I believe our government's approach during the pandemic was compassionate, fair and responsible. I listened tonight to my colleague, and I mentioned before the respect I have for him. He continues to raise such matters, as is his right, but he neglects to mention what the Canada emergency wage subsidy, or the CEWS, a signature pandemic emergency response program, was all about. Yes, wage subsidy support did go to large corporations, but the vast majority of the funds under the program went, in fact, to small businesses. It went to medium-sized businesses as well, but, in the main, it was small businesses, mom-and-pop shops, restaurants, retailers, those in manufacturing and entrepreneurs who had started businesses and had put their blood, sweat and tears into those businesses. They were the ones getting the support. Failing to mention that, in a way, takes us down a path that would misunderstand what the CEWS program was all about. It was about keeping employees on the payroll. It was about making sure those employees who had been laid off as a result of the pandemic could be rehired. By and large, it was an enormous success. If my colleague is looking for perfection, he will look a long time. There is no perfect policy, but I go back to the fact that in the context of a pandemic, where one had to fly the plane and build it at the same time, so to speak, this proved to be an enormously successful program. My friend does not have to take that only from me; he can talk to the business community. He will note that unions have spoken about the importance of the wage subsidy. Again, it is not a perfect program, but it is a program that did help enormous numbers of Canadians, businesses and their employees, by the thousands. In my own community of London, Ontario, I saw it at work. It was quite successful there as well. Whether it is on the street or in the constituency office, I continue to hear about the role it had.
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Context: House Hansard - 198 - May/17/23
Mr. Peter Fragiskatos
  • May/17/23 12:12:48 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, there certainly is compassion for the poor. I could mention the number of policies that this government has introduced from the Canada child benefit, now the Canada dental benefit to the grocery rebate that we have introduced through budget 2023. However, to the substantive point, individuals do have the option of a repayment plan instead of an amnesty program that I know my colleague favours. That is a fair approach. It still ensures eligibility criteria are verified. If individuals were not, in fact, eligible, I think the vast majority of Canadians would expect repayment but they would also expect a compassionate approach on the part of the CRA. That is why if individuals, as I said before, are not able to pay in one lump sum, they can do so on a periodic basis. Again, in setting that up with the CRA, they can find a plan that works for them. Finally, an appeals process exists for all cases where an individual is dissatisfied.
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