The House of Commons approved a massive $73-billion wage subsidy program aimed at helping businesses and workers survive, after parties reached a compromise early Saturday.
The bill to implement what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the most significant economic program since the Second World War was passed by the Commons “on division” after some six hours of speeches and debate. On division means there was some opposition among the handful of MPs in the chamber but there was no recorded vote. It was not immediately clear who objected.
In the Senate later, it was Conservative Senate leader Don Plett who called for votes on the bill in that chamber to be “on division” as well.
The legislation, granted royal assent late Saturday, authorizes the federal government to pay companies 75 per cent of the first $58,700 earned by each employee — up to $847 per week for up to 12 weeks. It is retroactive to March 15 and will be available to companies that lost 15 per cent of their revenue in March or 30 per cent in April or May.
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