SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Hon. Rechie Valdez

  • Member of Parliament
  • Minister of Small Business
  • Liberal
  • Mississauga—Streetsville
  • Ontario
  • Voting Attendance: 66%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $101,328.92

  • Government Page
  • Apr/18/24 3:10:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a former small business entrepreneur myself, I know the importance of affordability for entrepreneurs. I am glad that, through budget 2024, our government is committed to delivering $2.5 billion to 600,000 small businesses across Canada through the Canada carbon rebate. Reports say that 60% of small businesses are directly impacted by climate change, and while the official opposition continues to want to cut the Canada carbon rebate, on this side of the House, we are going to continue fighting climate change while putting money back into the pockets of Canadians and small businesses.
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  • Feb/13/24 2:41:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, nearly 80% of small businesses paid back their Canada emergency business account loan and were able to take advantage of the refundable portion of the loan. This being Black History Month, I would like to mention the Black entrepreneurship program. It is an historic investment of $266 million that, so far, has helped support more than 9,000 Black business owners across Canada. Nearly $50 million in loans have been approved.
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  • Feb/5/24 2:38:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Canada emergency business account, or CEBA, was to help keep businesses afloat during the pandemic and give them some room to recover. Nearly 80% of small businesses have paid back the CEBA loan and were able to take advantage of the refundable portion of the loan. We are also reducing credit card transaction fees by up to a quarter to help small businesses keep more money in their pockets.
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  • Nov/2/23 3:01:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we did not abandon small businesses during the pandemic, nor did we abandon them after the pandemic. What did we do then? We created the Canada emergency business account loan to help small businesses keep their doors open. What are we doing now? We are offering more flexibility for them to repay their CEBA loans. What will we continue to do? We will continue to listen to and support small businesses across the country.
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  • Oct/30/23 2:41:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, nearly 900,000 small businesses had to shut down during the pandemic. What did we do? We created the Canada emergency business account, or CEBA, to help small businesses keep their doors open. What are we doing? We are providing additional flexibility so that businesses can repay their CEBA loans. What will our government continue to do? We will continue to listen to and support small businesses across the country.
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  • Oct/26/23 2:44:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we continue to be there for small businesses. We gave small businesses an extension from last year to this year. Because they asked for more help, we are offering them more flexibility when it comes to refinancing, more time to qualify for loan forgiveness, and a one-year extension of the repayment deadline for their Canada emergency business account loan. I thank my hon. Bloc Québécois colleagues who continue to share excellent comments and ideas to support small business.
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  • Oct/23/23 2:26:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a former small business owner myself, I know that small businesses are the backbone of these communities. As a small business owner, I am glad the Conservatives are not in charge. Small businesses would not be saving $1 billion in credit card transaction fees. Women entrepreneurs would not have $7 billion of investment through our women entrepreneurship strategy, nor the $10-a-day child care that has put more women into the work force. The Conservatives have been voting against these efforts to support small businesses, including women entrepreneurs. They are not worth the risk.
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  • Oct/5/23 3:15:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition called the supports we provided small businesses “big fat government” supports. He is literally mocking the idea that we stood up for small businesses in a time of their need. In the middle of the pandemic, small businesses were worried about keeping their doors open, keeping the lights on and keeping their teams employed. Our government stepped in during their darkest hour and delivered supports like the Canada emergency rent and wage subsidy for the hardest hit business, the tourism and hospitality recovery program and the CEBA loans. I am proud of the fact that we are there for them. While the Leader of the Opposition mocks the support we provided small businesses, we will continue to have their backs.
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  • Oct/5/23 3:14:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want the small business owners of Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon to know that their Conservative member of Parliament has voted against cutting taxes for growing small businesses, voted against lowering credit card transaction fees by up to a quarter, voted against supports for diverse and under-represented entrepreneurs. Common sense does not mean voting against supports for small businesses.
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  • May/3/22 3:10:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a former small business owner who knows first-hand the struggles that small businesses and entrepreneurs faced throughout the pandemic, I know that expanding trade ties with the Philippines is crucial in our trade diversification strategy as it is a fast-growing market and would create new economic opportunities for Canadian businesses of all sizes. Can the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development update us on what our government is doing to strengthen our economic and commercial relationships with the Philippines and Filipino-Canadian businesses?
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