MP, Pictou County warden weigh in
Robert Parker worries about the short-term effects of the COVID-19 virus.
With many small business owners reducing hours of operation – or closing temporarily – due to the health crisis, the Warden for the Municipality of Pictou County wonders how many might close up for good, or at the very least, suffer harsh economic times.
“A lot of small business owners live paycheque to paycheque,” he said.
“There’s not a lot of cushion there. The expense don’t stop, and the comfort zone is gone.”
He also foresees the tourism industry taking a huge hit, even if things turn around in the next few weeks – the summer of 2020 might be a time when people stay close to home.
“People are going to be scared to move very far,” he said. “When this passes, there’s going to be a fear that lingers on for quite some time.
“We are where we are, everybody has to play their part (and) there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but I don’t know when that light is coming. And that’s scary.”
But Parker, who is a small business owner himself, said that once the worst is over, his hope is that people will start to buy more local products to support business in Pictou County.
He also believes that Pictou County’s resiliency will shine through again.
“If we work together, we will get through this.”
On March 24, in an interview from Ottawa, Central Nova MP Sean Fraser outlined some measure the government is putting in place to ease the burden on Canadians, some of them new, some of them already known.
“There shouldn’t be any worrying about the cost of groceries, or if they can make rent,” Fraser said.
“We’re working to get money into the pockets of Canadians quickly.”
Among the measures being taken are:
• Emergency benefits for those who get sick and lose work.
• Enhanced EI benefits.
• Enhanced GST credits that will result in an extra $300 for adults in a lump-sum payment, and $158 per child.
• A 10 per cent subsidy for small business owners to help retain employees through the crisis.
“Our primary focus remains the public health emergency that we’re facing,” Fraser said, urging Canadians to “stay home if you can, protect yourself, and look out for your neighbours.”
Some of the numbers are staggering; in a one-week period in the middle of March, the government of Canada fielded around 500,000 inquiries regarding Employment Insurance claims; a year ago at the same time, that number was 27,000.