Mr. Speaker, we absolutely respect the Auditor General.
She absolutely agreed with us that we met the objectives of this plan. We kept Canadians safe, we put money in their pockets quickly and we avoided significant economic and social harm.
House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2021, with 42% of the vote.
Democratic Institutions December 6th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, we absolutely respect the Auditor General.
She absolutely agreed with us that we met the objectives of this plan. We kept Canadians safe, we put money in their pockets quickly and we avoided significant economic and social harm.
COVID-19 Emergency Response December 6th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, we are pursuing a very rigorous postpayment verification process based on best practices in the world of risk-based analysis.
We are taking a compassionate approach. We absolutely paused repayment during omicron and other things that came up during the pandemic. I can assure the House that we are on top of it and we are following up.
COVID-19 Emergency Response December 6th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, we, as a Parliament, approved an approach that was attestation based with a rigorous postpayment verification.
As a result of that approach, Canadians were able to put food on their tables. Canadians remained attached to their jobs. We positioned our economy well to come roaring back at the end of the pandemic. It has, and 117% of the jobs have been recovered. Our public health outcomes are the envy of the world.
Finance December 6th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, it bears repeating that the Auditor General found we achieved the goals we set out. We kept Canadians safe, we made sure Canadians were paid quickly and we averted significant social and economic hardship for our country.
This Parliament approved the attestation-based approach. We knew when we committed to this, and we were very transparent from the beginning, that we would do post-payment verification. We are methodically going through that and will continue to do so, working individually and with Canadians to make sure we have a fair and equitable response to this.
COVID-19 Emergency Response December 6th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General found, very clearly, that CERB and our individual benefits achieved their intended goals of getting money to Canadians quickly, of allowing Canadians to stay home safely and of avoiding severe social and economic consequences.
We, as a Parliament, approved an attestation-based approach. We knew from the beginning that there would be postpayment verification. We are working methodically through that, and I can assure all Canadians that we are on top of this.
Employment Insurance November 29th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kings—Hants for his tireless work on behalf of his constituents.
We know many workers face a stressful income gap between when they exhaust their EI sickness benefits and when they are able to return to work. That is why I am pleased to announce that, as of December 18, we are permanently extending EI sickness benefits from 15 weeks to 26 weeks, which will benefit approximately 169,000 Canadians each year. This extension to 26 weeks will give workers more time to recover from serious illnesses or injuries before they rejoin the workforce.
Persons with Disabilities November 21st, 2022
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-22 and the Canada disability benefit, we have an opportunity in the House to bring about a once-in-a-generation change and lift hundreds of thousands of working-age Canadians with disabilities out of poverty. That is exactly the work that is just wrapping up at committee.
I look forward to having it back in the House for third reading. I look forward to once again having all-party support. This could be transformative for our country.
Post-Secondary Education November 1st, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City, my hometown, for his tireless work on behalf of his constituents and all Canadians. We believe that no one should be deterred from pursuing an education because of unaffordable interest costs. That is why, effective today, graduates will not have to start repaying their federal loans until they learn at least $40,000 per year, and maximum payments will also be lowered from 20% to 10% of household income. This will support an estimated 180,000 borrowers each year.
Employment Insurance October 31st, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I have good news for my hon. colleague.
Beginning in December, workers will have access to 26 weeks of EI sickness benefits. The number of weeks will increase from 15 to 26. We are very pleased to announce that workers who become sick will be entitled to more support.
Employment Insurance October 31st, 2022
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that employment insurance has not kept up with the way Canadians work, and that is why access and adequacy are key fundamental principles that we are building into a modernized approach to employment insurance. I look forward to revealing the government's plan to modernize the steps we will take to make sure every worker continues to have fair access across the country, no matter where they live.