Latest News & Updates

IN THE NEWS
10,000 in New West receive CERB, but that’s not enough: MP

An estimated 10,000 New Westminster residents are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), says New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian.

That’s a big figure, but even that’s not enough for Julian, who says many people with disabilities are being unfairly left out of much-needed funding.

Burnaby South MP and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Julian have been leading the charge to have more people with disabilities qualify for CERB. Right now, people who don’t qualify for the federal disability tax credit also don’t qualify for CERB, Julian said.

IN THE NEWS
Known fraudsters targeting CERB for wrongful benefits, Commons committee told

Canadian Press Newswire

OTTAWA _ Harsh penalties for defrauding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit are needed because organized crime and identity thieves are trying to scam the program, a House of Commons committee was told Thursday.

A Canada Revenue Agency official said federal systems have already flagged a number of potential fraudulent applications for the $2,000-a-month CERB, including people involved in criminal activity that have now targeted the pandemic-aid program.

Special Edition COVID-19 Spring 2020 Community Newsletter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MP Peter Julian calls on the Liberals to give support to ALL persons living with disabilities

“After a month and a half of the NDP dragging and pushing and forcing the Trudeau government to give Covid 19 support benefits to people living with disabilities, it is absolutely unacceptable that ONLY those who are qualified for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) get this support!� Julian said.

“The Disability Tax Credit is a discredited tool because many people with disabilities either don’t know about it, can’t pay for the medical confirmation, or get rejected due to increasingly restrictive rules�, said Julian. Less than 40% of Canadians with severe disabilities have access to the DTC. Julian added, “I have done over 600 DTC town halls across Canada to help people get the Disability Tax Credit and know how dysfunctional the federal system is for persons living with disabilities.�

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Democrats call on Liberals to stop supporting big bank profiteering

Actions to regulate the banks have been taken in the UK by the Prudential Regulatory Authority, in some countries in Europe and by the Mexican’s financial regulator. In Canada, some credit unions have already reduced the interest on credit cards and lines of credits to zero percent for those in need.

“We have heard many stories of Canadians suffering from financial pressure while the banks do nothing to help. In the first quarter of the year, so far Canada's major banks made more than $5 billion in profits during the COVID-19 crisis, while Canadians continue to struggle to make ends meet," said Julian. "The federal government has the power and authority to stop banks from making such huge profits on the backs of Canadians. But instead of taking action they’re letting people struggle with this financial pressure."

IN THE HOUSE
Joint letter to the Minister of Finance and Minister of Small Business regarding June rent

June 1 is only one week away, small business owners, many of them have already deferred their April and May rents, are now once again worrying how they are going to pay for their June rent. Here is the letter MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) NDP Critic for Small Business, and I wrote a joint letter to letter to the Finance Minister and to the Minister of Small Business.

IN THE NEWS
Process Nerd: Is it time for MPs to get back to regular in-person House business?

iPolitics

by: Kady O'Malley

Here we go again.

A little over a month after all but one of the four main parties struck a deal to prolong the parliamentary hiatus that has been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in mid-March, the House is once again heading for an abrupt return to regular, in-person legislative business next week.

Under the terms of the order adopted on April 20, the current suspension will automatically expire on May 25 unless the House leaders of all four parties sign off on a written request for House Speaker Anthony Rota to extend the adjournment until a future date or until further notice.

IN THE NEWS
Hybrid Parliament ready to launch, House officials say in previously confidential report

Globe and Mail.com

Politics, Words: 733

Hybrid Parliament ready to launch, House officials say in previously confidential report

Report comes as Liberals and opposition debate whether to extend the current suspension of Parliament

by: Bill Curry

The House of Commons administration says it is ready and able to implement a U.K.-style "hybrid" Parliament that allows regular in-person sittings to resume with some MPs participating by video on screens placed inside the Chamber.

TELL JUSTIN TRUDEAU TO PUT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFITEERING!

According to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) the federal government has provided up to $750 billion in liquidity support, including regulatory relief, to the banking and financial sector during this pandemic. The six big banks have reported more than $15 billion in profit in the first few months of the pandemic. 

Another report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) estimates that more than $25 billion in tax money is taken from Canada every year because of tax havens. Meanwhile, millions of hard working Canadians pay their taxes on time and in full. Trudeau needs to stop letting corporations get away without paying their fair share! 

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Trudeau continues to allow companies that use tax havens to access federal government emergency assistance programs and he continues to support the banking system while the public assumes the risk. 

The Trudeau government should follow the example of France, Denmark and Poland by ensuring that public funds used to help our businesses do not end up in the hands of those who use tax havens to avoid paying their fair share. 

Those resources should be spent on affordable housing, job creation, clean energy, health care, education, seniors, students, families and so many other initiatives to make Canadians’ lives better.

Join me to tell Trudeau to stop big banks and big corporations from profiteering and start helping Canadians' families.

IN THE HOUSE
Letter about Expectant Mothers' future EI Maternity Application after COVID-19

I wrote a letter to MP Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to bring to her attention my constituents' concerns regarding expectant Mothers' future EI Maternity Application after the COVID-19 pandemic.

IN THE NEWS
Federal relief spending now exceeds $150-billion

Globe and Mail (Ontario)

Report on Business | B1, Words: 654

Government's total spending has increased by nearly $6-billion in the past two weeks

by: Bill Curry

Federal spending on COVID-19 measures now stands at $151.7-billion, according to the Finance Department's latest tally of government announcements.

As part of an agreement with the opposition parties in the minority Parliament, the Liberal government is required to table a full cost breakdown of its pandemic spending measures every other week in a report to the House of Commons finance committee.

IN THE HOUSE
Letter to Finance Minister and Minister of Small Business regarding CEBA

My colleague MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) and NDP Critic for Economic Development and Small Business and I wrote a letter to the Finance Minister Bill Morneau and to the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion to share our deep concerns about two issues relating to the Canada Emergency Business Assistance (CEBA) eligibility. Our office has received multiple complaints from small business owners who found themselves unable to access the CEBA loan because they did not have a business account or they missed the cut off date for setting up a business account.