QP: Demanding a “real plan” for small business

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There were three Liberals in the Chamber today, including Catherine McKenna once again as the designated front-bench babysitter, but the opposition benches were sparser and more male today than on Monday. Erin O’Toole led off in person, script on his mini-lectern, and he worried that the government wasn’t doing anything to save Line 5. Chrystia Freeland replied by video, stating that they are fighting for this just as they did with the New NAFTA. O’Toole gave an impassioned plea about the jobs tied to this pipeline, Freeland somewhat patronisingly replied that they are well aware of the jobs and they won’t forget those people. O’Toole then pivoted to small businesses that are suffering from the pandemic, demanding a “real plan” to save them. Freeland told him to pick a lane, between demanding government assistance or complaining about those very spending programmes. O’Toole switched to French to reference their Supply Day motion about specific budget measures for certain sectors, for which Freeland repeated her pick-a-lane line in French. O’Toole then repeated his demand for a plan for small businesses in French, for which Freeland called out the Conservative hypocrisy after they voted against a bill to provide more supports yesterday.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and he worried that people were bypassing hotel quarantine rules by landing in the US and crossing at the land border, to which Freeland recited that we have some of the strongest border measures in the world, while they have to protect essential trade. Therrien was not impressed that his question was not answered and he tried a second time, and Freeland repeated her assurances about the strength of the border measures.

For the NDP, Jagmeet Singh appeared by video, and in French, he complained that government gave support for corporations instead of small businesses — a dubious claim at best — for which Freeland agreed that it was important to help small businesses, which is why it was urgent to pass Bill C-14. Singh repeated in English to demand a limit on credit card fees to help small businesses, and Freeland repeated her plea to pass C-14.

Round two, and Pierre Poilievre raised that dubious “COVID Misery Index” report (Freeland: I can’t speak for the misery on your side of the House, but we want to thank Canadians for their hard work and resilience, and in Q4, our GDP growth was the second best in the world), Ed Fast repeated a demand for specific budget supports (Freeland: I want to thank Canadians who submitted 5800 submissions in our consultation process, and hey, the CFIB also wants you to pass C-14), and Michelle Rempel Garner worried that the Pfizer was not comfortable with the four-month wait between doses (Fisher: NASCI recommends that second doses can be delayed in order to get more people first doses; Anand: NASCI is independent, and we are getting millions of doses, and our plan is working for Canadians).

Julie Vignola demanded that Davie Shipyards start building combat ships (Anand: We committed to building 15 combat ships under our defence plan, and Davie is an excellent partner; All shipyards can respond to requests for proposals, and no decision has been made yet).

Alain Rayes demanded the release of pharmaceutical contracts in French (Rodriguez: We sent documents in the existing language, and we the documents are being processed as quickly as possible), and James Bezan accused the government of covering-up the allegations against General Vance (Sajjan: I disagree with this characterisation and I look forward to testifying at committee; No politician should ever be part of an investigation, and we ensured an independent body would follow-up).

Richard Cannings demanded the government interfere in Revera care homes as though they have that ability (Fisher: We provided funds to provinces to help with long-term care), and Leah Gazan demanded answers on the deaths of two Indigenous men in prison (Blair: We share in the concern and Correctional Services work closely with local public health).

Round three saw questions on the General Vance allegations (Sajjan: Same response as before), assurances to a local company after their PPE contract was not renewed (Anand: We focused on investing in domestic production, including over $27 million in this plant), extending pension top-ups to seniors 65 and over rather than the current 75 and over (Shulte: Your motion did not take certain facts into account and facts show that financial needs are more acute in older seniors), a tourist resort being denied certain relief measures (Bendayan: It’s hard to take your concerns seriously when you are blockading C-14), a recovery framework for the airlines and scrapping hotel quarantine (Alghabra: Now is not the time for Canadians to travel, but we must help key players in the aerospace sector), the impact of the pandemic on women (Freeland: We have task force on women and the economy, and if you want to help, you should pass Bill C-14), the deficit versus a recovery plan (Rodriguez: Your party is filibustering legislation), the cruise ship ban (Alghabra: These prohibitions will allow public health officials to do their jobs), unvaccinated truck drivers crossing the border (Alghabra: It is essential to maintain the movement of essential goods, and we are having these discussions), some concerns in Atlantic Canada (Alghabra: We are listening to members of our caucus), and the Mi’kmaq fishing dispute (Jordan: We are working to implement the Supreme Court decision, but commercial seasons ensure conservation).

Overall, it was a fairly meh day, with the usual kinds of demands that come when it’s a Supply Day that they demand the government support their motion, and wedging a number of questions into it. Chrystia Freeland was starting to take on a bit of Cato the Censor and his constant refrain of “Carthāgō dēlenda est” (Carthage must be destroyed) in all of his speeches, only for Freeland, it was an exhortation to pass Bill C-14. Many times, over and over, for what it’s worth. The real blessing, however, was that it was not as mindlessly repetitive as yesterday was, and we got a variety of topics to get talking points on instead. Hybrid QP continues to be as dull as humanly possible.

Sartorial snaps and citations remain on hiatus for lack of a sufficient sample size.

2 thoughts on “QP: Demanding a “real plan” for small business”

  1. I really appreciate your column and your commentaries on House business.

    I am also very glad to see you included mention of the Richard Cannings proposal regarding Revera, which was itself a reiteration of Jagmeet Singh’s public proposals that the federal government intervene to bring Revera into public ownership. While complicated, given Revera’s ownership by federal crown PSPIB, it strikes me as inaccurate to dismiss this proposal with: “as if they have that ability”.

    If the federal government were truly committed (as they claim) to protecting the lives and health of seniors, and to responding to the horrific crisis located primarily in the for-profit LTC sector – including Revera – then there are clearly legal and policy mechanisms to do so. The introduction of Medicare in the 1960s involved “interfering” in what was then a private market for hospital and physician services, disallowing certain health provision on a for-profit basis, and properly funding a new insurance framework for all Canadians for many vital health care services (though not LTC). In that context, it seems a bit unfair to dismiss the proposal with “as if they have that ability”.

    Most of those who have died from Covid-19 did so in long-term care facilities, and among those, the death rate in the for-profit facilities has been more than 4 times higher. The death rates at Revera homes has been among the highest in the sector. All of the serious academic research that has been done to compare public and for-profit management of long-term care supports the conclusion that the quality of care is higher and the mortality rates lower in publicly owned facilities. The fact that Revera is one of Canada’s largest for-profit companies, yet owned by the Canadian public through a federal crown corporation pension fund investor, is a real source of collective shame. Yes, profits are generated, but the price has been unnecessary deaths and heartache for residents and family members. That price is too high. This is a situation that a federal government that was fully committed to public health care and to learning the powerful lessons of this pandemic would take action on immediately.

    • Because healthcare is a provincial responsibility, the federal government can’t tell them what they can and can’t do. Canada Health Transfers incentivize behaviour with money, but provinces can and do ignore its stipulations and swallow the penalties (example: New Brunswick and abortion access).
      The Crown Corporation that owns Revera is arm’s length from government, and Cabinet cannot dictate what it does and does not invest in, nor should they have that ability. It would also be a major breach of the Crown Corporation’s duty – to turn a profit for the public sector pension plan – if they were to turn one of their investments into a non-profit. There are other ways to achieve these goals, but federal government dictating orders is not one of them.

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