“The government's new help for businesses will not save jobs or keep skilled workers. I want to know why the Prime Minister did not use his party's old plan to help pay workers' wages at businesses in trouble.”

“Mr. Speaker, the government has announced business support measures that will certainly have an uplifting effect over the long term, but will not save jobs, maintain the employment relationship or retain expertise within companies, especially companies at greatest risk. I want to understand why the Prime Minister did not adopt the proposal initially created by his party a few years ago: the wage subsidy program for at-risk businesses.”

“The Prime Minister did not answer my question. Businesses need help right now during trade talks with the United States, but his plan will take too long. Does his refusal to help pay workers mean he cannot get a deal with the United States?”

“Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that, unfortunately, the Prime Minister did not answer the question. I will rephrase my question. Given that the measures he is talking about will have no impact in the short term, but only in the medium, long or very long term, and that businesses are in immediate danger during the negotiation period with the United States, am I to understand that the Prime Minister, by refusing to implement a wage subsidy program, is saying that he does not have confidence in his ability to get an agreement with the United States?”

“Businesses cannot take on more debt to save jobs. I want the Prime Minister to listen to workers and businesses and create a wage support program.”

“Mr. Speaker, two things that the Prime Minister certainly knows—and he will explain it himself much better than someone who is not an economist, like me—is that, first, Jean Simard hardly represents SMEs, and second, businesses cannot take on more debt to save jobs. That is a last resort. Can the Prime Minister reconsider—again on a non-partisan basis, since we are reaching out—and do what the unions, businesses and chambers of commerce want and create a wage subsidy program for the transition?”