It’s been quite a week in the country’s history and Bruce Stanton was right in the middle of it.
The Simcoe North MP, who was in Ottawa earlier this week, said the nation’s economic response Wednesday followed Thursday by the federal government’s plan to enforce the Quarantine Act are both necessary actions in light of the ongoing coronavirus now gripping both Canada and the world.
“It’s important to get the money out,” Stanton said during an interview with MidlandToday. “We are in for a couple of rough months here so it’s good to hear the government’s prepared to do more. Their (those losing their jobs) incomes just aren’t going to be there.”
While it took some political maneuvering that included what Stanton noted was a lot of work “offline” through Tuesday and into early Wednesday morning, Parliament eventually passed the sweeping legislation designed to blunt the economic impact of COVID-19.
“It was a long suspension before we reopened any kind of proceedings,” Stanton said, referring to the behind-the-scenes negotiation that occurred to ensure Conservative and NDP support for the plan.
Stanton said all parties were fine with the government’s original plan, but when they received an embargoed copy earlier in the week, they felt it contained points that would have given the federal government too much power.
“There were far-reaching measures that would have neutered Parliament,” said Stanton, who is Deputy Speaker of the House, presided during the proceedings.
The government’s economic response plan includes up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, including changes to make it easier for those applying for Employment Insurance (EI) and the creation of a new Canada Emergency Response Benefit that will provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Stanton acknowledged vetting won’t be as stringent for those seeking money, he doesn’t expect it to create a great deal of false-assistance claims.
“Most decidedly, yes, that will happen,” he said, adding that “99.5 percent of Canadians” will file legitimate claims. “Unfortunately, there will be a few that will try to take advantage.”
Besides the economic news, Canada has also started to enforce the Quarantine Act. The order forces those arriving internationally to stay away from others for at least 14 days or face possible criminal penalties and fines for infractions.
“It was probably inevitable,” Stanton said, pointing out the legislation that wouldn’t be needed in “an ideal world” gives the federal health minister sweeping powers to stop the spread of communicable diseases.
“There are a portion of people who even though they’re asked to self-isolate are being too casual about it or ignoring it altogether. When people come in from outside of Canada, they’re driving up community transmissions that will increase fatalities.”
The act, which was created in 2005 following Canada’s SARS outbreak, allows the federal government to quarantine individuals arriving in the country to prevent the “introduction and spread of communicable diseases.”
According to the act, every person who commits an offence is liable on an indictment conviction to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than three years, or to both. A summary conviction carries a fine of up to $300,000 and/or a jail term of up to six months.
