QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Canada Emergency Business Account
September 21, 2023
My question is for the government leader in the Senate.
This past spring, Senator Gold, you may remember that I asked you a series of questions about the secret outsourcing of the Canada Emergency Business Account, or CEBA, small business loans program to the consulting firm Accenture. I asked you questions on May 30 and June 13 that have yet to be answered, including who made the decision to keep these sole-source contracts hidden from Parliament and taxpayers, and when Minister Freeland and Minister Ng became aware that Accenture was administering the program.
Leader, what are the answers to these questions?
Could you also tell us the current total amount paid out to Accenture?
Thank you for your question, and, again, I do regret that the answers that were requested have not yet been forthcoming. I’ll certainly follow up and make every effort to get those answers.
Yes, it is disappointing that we haven’t been able to get the answers to those questions. As I’m sure you know, the Prime Minister made an announcement last week regarding the CEBA loans. The repayment deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness now includes a refinancing extension until March 28, 2024. A delayed answer I received in May stated that Accenture’s contracts were set to expire in January and February 2024.
Leader, as Accenture is running the loans collection, could you tell us if the contracts have been extended and for how much? As well, could you tell us if the Trudeau government consulted with Accenture about the repayment extension prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement last week?
The extension of the loan repayment to Canadians is an example of this government being sensitive to the fact that though the payments were necessary for many thousands of businesses and, indeed, critical in helping our economy weather this storm, circumstances have made it difficult for many to repay it. That is why the government is extending the time in order to give companies a longer period of time to repay and take advantage of the benefits that the program provides.
