Debates of Nov. 24th, 2005
House of Commons Hansard #157 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was liberal.
Topics
- Question Period
- Canada Account Report 2003-04
- Canada Health Infoway
- Government Response to Petitions
- Security Committee of Parliamentarians Act
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees of the House
- Youth Criminal Justice Act
- Canadian Autism Day Act
- Criminal Code
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Question No. 240
- Questions Passed As Orders for Returns
- Question No. 184
- Question No. 195
- Question No. 198
- Question No. 212
- Question No. 226
- Supply
- Business of the House
- Supply
- Anne Pennell
- Member for Westlock—St. Paul
- Fort Garry Historical Society
- Foreign Policy
- Citizens' Advisory Committee Awareness Week
- Member for British Columbia Southern Interior
- University of Waterloo
- Diabetes Month
- Orléans Francophone Involvement Movement
- Member for Okanagan—Shuswap
- Liberal Women's Caucus
- Immigration
- Justice
- Member for Saint-Maurice—Champlain
- Gomery Report
- Tourism Award
- Finance
- Income Trusts
- Guaranteed Income Supplement
- Child Poverty
- Sponsorship Program
- Liberal Party of Canada
- Sponsorship Program
- Canada Labour Code
- Softwood Lumber
- Canada Revenue Agency
- Ethics
- Canada Elections Act
- International Cooperation
- Citizenship and Immigration
- Political Party Fundraising
- Public Safety
- Firearms Registry
- The Environment
- Business of the House
- Points of Order
- Canadian Forces
- Points of Order
- Committees of the House
- Points of Order
- Supply
- Trade Compensation Act
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Outremont
Québec
Liberal
Jean Lapierre Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, speaking of the heights of hypocrisy, that is precisely where the Bloc Québécois is going today. A vote took place yesterday. The Liberals voted in favour of the bill. The Liberals increased the guaranteed income supplement for seniors. They have made sure that the maximum number of seniors are eligible for this supplement by implementing advertising programs and ensuring that all seniors have access to the GIS. We are increasing the income of seniors. This is not mere rhetoric, and we are not playing petty politics on the backs of seniors, unlike the leader of the Bloc Québécois.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Bloc
Marcel Gagnon Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, my political career is coming to an end and, yesterday, I saw the House at both its best and worst.
Is the Prime Minister not ashamed that his party voted in favour of the bill to make the guaranteed income supplement retroactive and then, two minutes later, refused to pass it at final stage?
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Outremont
Québec
Liberal
Jean Lapierre Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, first, I want to wish the hon. member a happy retirement and tell him that the seniors he informed of the guaranteed income supplement were able to apply for and receive that supplement. He did this, along with all the Liberal members and all the members in the House who are helping to educate the public about the government's programs.
All members have the duty to do this. What is important is the amount that seniors are getting and, with this in mind, this government has increased the guaranteed income supplement for seniors more than any other government has. This also needs to be said.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Bloc
Marcel Gagnon Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, that answer is unacceptable. Seniors in need of the guaranteed income supplement have been deprived of $3.2 billion over the past 12 years.
Even if the Liberals increase the GIS, seniors who were deprived of it in the past are still living in poverty. The money is sitting in the government's coffers.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Trinity—Spadina
Ontario
Liberal
Tony Ianno Minister of State (Families and Caregivers)
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well, as we have said in the last year and a half, that our interest in ensuring that our seniors live with dignity will continue to be enhanced with the many policies we are bringing forward.
The hon. member knows that this is an immediate relief process with over $6,000 per year in the guaranteed income supplement for seniors in need. It is an immediate relief program. That is what we continue to work on to ensure, with the rent supplements, affordable housing and RRAP, that these programs will continue to allow our seniors to live with the dignity they deserve.
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
NDP
Ed Broadbent Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, 16 years ago today the Prime Minister and his party committed themselves to the abolition of child poverty by the year 2000. In the subsequent years, child poverty increased almost every year, while the finance minister was boasting of an accumulated surplus of $60 billion.
With the new figures out today showing that more than a million kids are in poverty, how can the government justify this disgraceful broken promise?
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Ahuntsic
Québec
Liberal
Eleni Bakopanos Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development (Social Economy)
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the report of Campaign 2000. However, I would like to remind all members here what it recommended in 2005 and what the government has done. We have an effective child benefit system with $12 million in the national child tax benefit.
We have a universal accessible system of quality early learning and child care, something that the government has done. In fact, we signed our 10th agreement this morning with New Brunswick.
We have a significant increase in affordable housing. We have more affordable housing today, thanks to the minister of housing. There are more good jobs. There is no other government's--
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Ottawa Centre.
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
NDP
Ed Broadbent Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have about half of those new commitments because the NDP forced the government.
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
The Speaker
Order, please. The hon. member for Ottawa Centre has the floor.
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
November 24th, 2005 / 2:30 p.m.
NDP
Ed Broadbent Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, today in the House of Commons the government House leader said that the best thing to do about child poverty was to produce jobs. He is flatly wrong. About 48% of the children living in poverty today live in families where both members of the family are working.
Given that the Liberal government abolished the federal minimum wage in 1993, will it bring it back and--
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. Minister of Finance.
Child Poverty
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Wascana
Saskatchewan
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the increase in the basic personal amount of tax exemption, the reduction in the lowest rate up to $36,000, will be of great assistance to low income Canadians.
Most importantly, this fiscal update included probably the best innovation in tax policy and social policy in the last decade, that is the creation of the working income tax benefit. That will help low income Canadians get over that welfare wall, get into the job market, and enjoy economic success.
Sponsorship Program
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rahim Jaffer Edmonton—Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has not learned anything from the sponsorship scandal. After 12 years of Liberal corruption, this party continues to be arrogant. This time, to help organize its upcoming campaign, it has brought back Guy Brisson, who was involved in the sponsorship scandal.
The Prime Minister said he would clean things up. What is he waiting for to punish the Liberal cronies involved in the sponsorship scandal, instead of rewarding them?