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House Hansard - 251

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 20, 2023 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 251 - Nov/20/23
Mr. Alain Therrien (La Prairie, BQ)
  • Nov/20/23 2:29:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is the economic update. The finance minister has to understand that fiscal restraint does not mean austerity at the expense of small businesses. More than 220,000 SMEs face bankruptcy if the minister refuses to extend by one year the deadline for the CEBA loan repayment with no loss of the grant portion. The Quebec National Assembly demanded this extension. The Premier of Quebec and the other premiers demanded this extension. Everyone is demanding more flexibility for SMEs from the federal government. It is unanimous. Will the minister finally give businesses the extension they so desperately need tomorrow?
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Context: House Hansard - 251 - Nov/20/23
Mr. Alain Therrien (La Prairie, BQ)
  • Nov/20/23 2:30:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, business owners are sick and tired of hearing those lines. In the economic update, the minister will also have to keep her promise to families who can no longer afford groceries. During the election campaign, the Liberals promised $1 billion over five years to fund school meal programs. Tomorrow, the minister must fulfill this election promise. Fiscal restraint does not mean austerity, and certainly not on the backs of people who are having a hard time feeding their families. Will the minister keep her promise tomorrow and announce the payment of funds for food aid in schools in Quebec?
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Context: House Hansard - 251 - Nov/20/23
Ms. Rachel Bendayan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Nov/20/23 2:38:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us speak about balance, because our government believes that we can balance compassion with fiscal responsibility, and that is what we have shown to date. Canada continues to have the lowest deficit among all G7 countries. Canada continues to have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio among all G7 countries. The very report that the member is citing states that the major drivers of interest rate increases were COVID supports and provincial spending. It was not federal spending, but provincial spending. We will not apologize for having Canadians' backs while being responsible.
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Context: House Hansard - 251 - Nov/20/23
Ms. Rachel Bendayan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Nov/20/23 2:39:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite talks about responsibility. It is this government that took its responsibility seriously. When times were tough, when COVID hit and even today we continue to have Canadians' backs. We do not just talk about compassion, we act in that manner by being there for vulnerable Canadians, by being there in order to lift over 2.3 million Canadians out of poverty, by ensuring over one million more Canadians have a job today than before COVID. We are there for Canadians while being fiscally responsible, and I am certainly looking forward to tomorrow's fiscal update.
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