The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

At 1:48 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:52 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

On motion of Gord Johns, it was agreed, — That the clerk inform Vaughn Brennan that the committee sends for all records of communications from Tuesday, January 1, 2019 through the present between Vaughn Brennan and Ritika Dutt, Amir Morv, and any other persons acting as or on behalf of Botler AI, including communications by email, call, text message, or any other method, and that the information be provided to the clerk of the committee no later than 12 p.m. on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

Gord Johns moved, — Given that 900,000 small businesses in Canada risk closing because of the government’s unwillingness to extend the CEBA repayment deadline, that the committee report the following to the House, within the first five sitting days following the adoption of this motion:

That it is the opinion of the committee that the government should extend the loan repayment period, including the deadline for accessing partial loan forgiveness, for at least another year to ensure small businesses can continue supporting local economies and good-paying local jobs.

Debate arose thereon.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

A question of privilege having been raised by Garnett Genuis, regarding the intimidation of and retaliation toward witnesses, the Chair ruled that the matter relates to privilege.

Garnett Genuis moved, — That, the committee report to the House on the potential breach of privilege in relation to witnesses of the committee being subject to a campaign of intimidation and retaliation.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Larry Brock, Garnett Genuis, Stephanie Kusie, Julie Vignola — 4;

NAYS: Jenica Atwin, Parm Bains, Fayçal El-Khoury, Gord Johns, Majid Jowhari, Charles Sousa — 6.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion on Gord Johns moved which read as follows:

Given that 900,000 small businesses in Canada risk closing because of the government’s unwillingness to extend the CEBA repayment deadline, that the committee report the following to the House, within the first 5 sitting days following the adoption of this motion:

That it is the opinion of the committee that the government should extend the loan repayment period, including the deadline for accessing partial loan forgiveness, for at least another year to ensure small businesses can continue supporting local economies and good-paying local jobs.

and of the amendment on Charles Sousa which read as follows:

1. by adding after the words “risk closing” the following: “due to economic aftershocks of the COVID pandemic and”;
2. by adding after the words “CEBA repayment deadline” the following: “for a third time; and given the Conservative Leader’s description of pandemic supports like CEBA as “big fat government programs” and numerous occasions on which the Conservative Party of Canada voted against pandemic support programs that supported Canadians and Canadian businesses;”; and,
3. by adding after the words “good-paying local jobs” the following: “jobs and re-affirms the value of these programs to small business owners and Canadians across the country; and that the committee call for a government response to its report.”

The debate continued.

At 3:23 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:24 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The committee resumed consideration on the motion of Gord Johns, which read as follows:

Given that 900,000 small businesses in Canada risk closing because of the government’s unwillingness to extend the CEBA repayment deadline, that the committee report the following to the House, within the first 5 sitting days following the adoption of this motion:

That it is the opinion of the committee that the government should extend the loan repayment period, including the deadline for accessing partial loan forgiveness, for at least another year to ensure small businesses can continue supporting local economies and good-paying local jobs.

and of the amendment on Charles Sousa which read as follows:

That the motion be amended as follows:

1. by adding after the words “risk closing” the following: “due to economic aftershocks of the COVID pandemic and”;
2. by adding after the words “CEBA repayment deadline” the following: “for a third time; and given the Conservative Leader’s description of pandemic supports like CEBA as “big fat government programs” and numerous occasions on which the Conservative Party of Canada voted against pandemic support programs that supported Canadians and Canadian businesses;”; and,
3. by adding after the words “good-paying local jobs” the following: “jobs and re-affirms the value of these programs to small business owners and Canadians across the country; and that the committee call for a government response to its report.”

The debate continued.

At 3:26 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:29 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion on Gord Johns moved which read as follows:

Given that 900,000 small businesses in Canada risk closing because of the government’s unwillingness to extend the CEBA repayment deadline, that the committee report the following to the House, within the first 5 sitting days following the adoption of this motion:

That it is the opinion of the committee that the government should extend the loan repayment period, including the deadline for accessing partial loan forgiveness, for at least another year to ensure small businesses can continue supporting local economies and good-paying local jobs.

and of the amendment on Charles Sousa which read as follows:

1. by adding after the words “risk closing” the following: “due to economic aftershocks of the COVID pandemic and”;
2. by adding after the words “CEBA repayment deadline” the following: “for a third time; and given the Conservative Leader’s description of pandemic supports like CEBA as “big fat government programs” and numerous occasions on which the Conservative Party of Canada voted against pandemic support programs that supported Canadians and Canadian businesses;”; and,
3. by adding after the words “good-paying local jobs” the following: “jobs and re-affirms the value of these programs to small business owners and Canadians across the country; and that the committee call for a government response to its report.”

The debate continued.