The Chair: We'll now continue with Mr.Rayes.
Mr. Alain Rayes (RichmondArthabaska, CPC): Thank you, Mr.Chair. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is it true that Canada Revenue Agency employees who process applications for the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB, have been asked to send the payment even if fraud had been detected, as was pointed out in a national media report today?
Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue) : Mr.Chair, our government considers these to be very difficult times for Canadians. We're going to do everything we can to support them by helping them pay for their housing and their groceries. I'm very proud of the public servants who work at the Canada Revenue Agency. Nearly sevenmillion
Mr. Alain Rayes: I repeat my question, which is extremely simple: Is it true that the Canada Revenue Agency sent a memo to its employees asking them to ignore the fraudsters and still send the CERB payments??
Hon. Diane Lebouthillier: I'll finish my response, which was interrupted: Nearly 7.8million Canadians have applied for the Canada emergency response benefit. The priority is for Canadians to be able to pay for their groceries and their housing.
Mr. Alain Rayes: Yes or no: Did the Canada Revenue Agency send a memo to its employeeswho are doing an exceptional job, I'd like to point outso that they would ignore the 200,000potential cases of fraud that they detected?
Hon. Diane Lebouthillier: The answer is no.
Mr. Alain Rayes: The CERB has been distributed since March25, so for seven weeks now. The federal government website clearly states that if an employee returns to work, the employee must pay back the CERB. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether employees who decide to return to work have to pay back the full $2,000per month, or only $500for week of the month?
Hon. Diane Lebouthillier: As I mentioned, we believe that Canadians are going through a very difficult time, and we need to support them. We need to help people pay for their groceries and their housing. That's what our government is committed to, and that's what we'll continue to do.
Mr. Alain Rayes: Mr.Chair, the extremely simple question I am asking the Minister comes from companies and workers. None of the officials dares to answer it when we call on technical matters, even though they are supposed to give us information that we can pass on to the public with complete transparency. So let me repeat my question; I don't think there can be a simpler one. The answer will benefit the workers and the companies that want access to the Canada emergency wage subsidy. If an employee is called back to workwhich is perfectly fineagrees to do so and wants to reimburse the CERB, must he reimburse $500for each week he works during the month, or the entire $2,000?
Hon. Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion) : Mr. Chair, I can clarify that Service Canada will work closely with anybody who transitions either from the CERB to the wage subsidy or from the CERB back to employment to ensure that there's no overpayment, but of course that there's no undue hardship on the individual.
Mr. Alain Rayes: That announcement was made seven weeks ago. The workers want to know how much they have to reimburse. The companies want to know the situation so that they can make decisions on salary assistance. It seems to me that my question is not complicated: do people have to reimburse $500for each week they work in a month, or the full monthly amount of $2,000?
Hon. Carla Qualtrough: Mr. Chair, that will depend on the individual circumstances of the particular worker. That's why Service Canada is reaching out to individuals to make it as seamless as possible for them. I can assure the member that nobody will be put in a difficult situation. I recognize that there is some uncertainty, but we're trying to address that. Thank you.
The Chair: Mr.Rayes, you have 35seconds left.
Mr. Alain Rayes: The answers that we are getting today are incredible. This is unacceptable, in my view. If an employer complies with the hygiene conditions, can employees still refuse to return to work, and therefore continue to receive the CERB?
Hon. Carla Qualtrough: Mr. Chair, I can assure all Canadians that at the same time as employees have a right to refuse work and employers have an obligation to ensure healthy and safe workplaces, we want all people to be able to go back to work and feel safe. There are established processes and federal and provincial labour processes for refusal to work, and at the end of the day the CERB is there for workers who aren't working due to COVID-19.