Debates of Oct. 17th, 2011

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-13, the government's second implementation bill for the 2011 budget.

My comments will generally focus on two themes: first, there has been a growth in unemployment under the Conservative government; and second, there has been a deliberate decision by the Conservatives to exclude low income Canadians from many of the measures of budget 2011.

The first point is the growth in the number of Canadians looking for work. The Conservatives have been patting themselves on the back about the job situation in Canada. However, the fact is that today the job situation is worse than it was when the Conservatives took office and it is worse than it was before the fall of 2008.

Today, Canada has over 525,000 fewer net full-time jobs than in August 2008. In August 2008, there were 14,631,300 Canadians who had full-time jobs. Today, that number is down to 14,106,100 Canadians who have full-time jobs. There are more than half a million fewer Canadians with good, full-time jobs today than in August 2008.

The Conservatives like to claim credit for creating jobs, but the fact is that all of the net new jobs created since the recession have been in part-time work. Today, there are more than 1.3 million Canadians who are unemployed and looking for work, and the number of jobless Canadians has been growing. Even when we factor in part-time work, there are over 310,000 more jobless Canadians today than before the downturn in October 2008.

Job growth in Canada has simply failed to keep up with population growth, so it is harder for people who are out of work to actually find a job today. This is the reality that is faced by Canadians across the country, including in my riding of Kings—Hants and the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.

There is also a very uneven recovery, if any recovery, in Canada. If we look at provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, provinces that have the wealth of natural resources of oil, gas, potash and minerals, there is a very different economic story from that which exists in provinces like Ontario, Quebec and the maritime provinces.

The reality is that if there has been any recovery, it has been a very uneven recovery, and the macro numbers in terms of employment figures in Canada simply do not reflect the disparity within Canada, and the growing gap between haves and have nots, including have provinces and have not provinces.

The economic region of the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia is made up of Annapolis county, Kings county and Hants county. In this House of Commons it is represented by two members of Parliament, the member for West Nova, a Conservative MP, and myself.

This region is one of many across Canada that has not recovered from the last recession. We have seen massive layoffs at Fundy Gypsum, Eastern Protein, Maple Leaf Foods in Canard, and the Larsen's Plant. We have seen people who have worked at these companies, in some cases for 20 or 30 years or longer, who have watched their good full-time jobs disappear. Now they are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table with part-time work, if they are actually able to find it.

In an area with a population of just under 100,000, the Annapolis Valley now has 5,800 fewer net jobs today than in August 2008. The unemployment rate in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia has grown from 5% to 8% since the fall of 2008.

The number of people without jobs who are looking for work has grown by 1,700, and more than twice as many as that have simply stopped looking for work and have left the labour force completely.

The local population has declined by 600 people, as people give up and, in many cases, move away. The region is struggling to pay for local services with an aging population and a shrinking tax base.

This is not an isolated example. We can see this happening across large parts of Ontario and Quebec, across the Maritimes. The population we see in a lot of rural Canada is aging disproportionately. The proportion of people paying taxes is shrinking, while demand for government programs, health care, education and social assistance continues to grow.

There is a growing number of unemployed Canadians who are looking for work but have become discouraged under the Conservative government. They want their government to develop a real plan to create real jobs, but we see nothing, no imagination, no long-term thinking from the Conservatives.

In fact, the Conservatives are moving in the opposite direction. They are endangering Canadian jobs with their reckless increase in EI premiums.

In January, the Conservatives will hike EI premiums by 5.6% even though they know that payroll taxes like EI premiums are known job killers. This increase in January follows last January's increase by the Conservatives. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business estimates that the 2011 EI payroll tax increase will cost small businesses about $600 million and the 2012 increase will cost $1.2 billion. Are jobs created by increasing job killing payroll taxes? I do not think so.

The Conservatives claim that their small business hiring tax credit will create jobs. This is only a tax credit of $165 million when the Conservatives are actually increasing premiums by almost $2 billion. Most small businesses in Canada will not even qualify for the hiring credit for small businesses because they already pay too much in EI premiums. For the small businesses that do qualify, the Conservatives are giving with one hand and taking away with the other. They are treating the credit as business income and then they are taxing it.

The Conservatives hiring credit for small business is too small to make a significant impact on the economy. It will not even come close to matching the negative impact of the massive increase in EI premiums that they are imposing on Canadian employers. Only the Conservatives could claim that a tax credit that only increases EI premiums by over $1.6 billion instead of $1.8 billion is actually a measure to increase Canadian jobs.

The truth is that these EI premium increases will cost Canadian jobs at a time when unemployment numbers are up and our economy is teetering on the edge of recession. By refusing to act and present a real plan to create jobs, the Conservatives are failing the more than 1.3 million Canadians who are unemployed and looking for work.

The second issue that I want to comment on is the decision by the Conservatives to exclude low income Canadians from many of the benefits in budget 2011.

The Conservatives are deliberately excluding many low-income Canadian families from programs such as the family caregiver tax credit, the volunteer firefighters tax credit, and the children's art tax credit. The fact is if someone quits a job to take care of a sick family member at home, in a lot of cases that individual will not qualify for a dime under the family caregiver tax credit.

By making these benefits non-refundable, the Conservatives are excluding a lot of low-income families from receiving these benefits, so perversely, the families that need the help the most will not qualify for these boutique tax benefits because they do not have a high enough minimum income level to actually qualify, so, the person who quits a job to take care of a loved one at home, who is not making enough money, will not benefit from the Conservative family caregiver tax credit.

My riding has an aging population. Family members are taking a lot of their time away from work to help loved ones. In my own family, my sister, as an example, by day is a VON. She is taking a lot of time to help take care of my parents who are in their eighties and at home. A lot of these families do not make enough to qualify to benefit from the family caregiver tax credit. It is the same thing with the volunteer firefighters tax credit. In many cases rural Canadian volunteer firefighters in low-income families need the help to serve their communities.

It is fundamentally unfair for the Conservatives to not make these tax credits fully refundable in order to benefit all Canadian families, but particularly unfair to deny benefits to those low-income Canadian families who need the help the most.

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member to look at the data collected by Statistics Canada, that organization that the Conservatives regularly try to attack, try to de-fund, and hope to de-legitimize at the same time. Statistics Canada figures are very clear that today Canada has over 525,000 fewer net full-time jobs than in August 2008. The math is pretty simple. In August 2008 there were 14,631,300 Canadians who had a full-time job. Today that number is down to 14,106,100 full-time jobs and unemployment rates are higher today than they were in the fall of 2008, so it is pretty clear.

The Statistics Canada figures are there. The Conservatives do not like to listen to data and evidence. They prefer to govern by ideology than by evidence, but the figures are there.

Wayne Marston Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to say in response to the member who has just spoken, when identifying the number of people who are on unemployment, that one of the things that is often missing is those people who have given up on looking for a job. We talk about an unemployment rate of about 7.3% but the real number is closer to 11% when we take into account the people who are not counted. I think the member, being from the east coast of Canada, is very aware of that hidden number of people because in places like the Maritimes, where there is part-time or seasonal work, there is a huge number of them.

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member has spent some time in the Maritimes and Moncton, and represents a riding in Hamilton. If we really look at the macro numbers for Canada, they do not reflect the disparity between regions in the country and this is a very strange kind of recovery. In fact, it is part of a global economic restructuring. There is a gap between rich and poor and have and have not, and those with opportunities and those without. That is felt in Canada.

If we look at what is happening in resource-and commodity-rich provinces and compare the unemployment figures to those that do not have the same commodity wealth in Canada, it is really troubling. As a recovery is driven by commodities, it drives up the Canadian dollar because we have a commodity dollar and it crowds out a lot of jobs in manufacturing and good high -paying jobs in the traditional economic heartland of Ontario, as an example.

This is a really challenging time for many Canadian families, so I think all members of the House and all parties must realize that many Canadians are having trouble just getting by right now.

Joyce Murray Vancouver Quadra, BC

Mr. Speaker, to my colleague from Kings—Hants, I recently completed a rural economy tour in southeastern British Columbia and I heard from small business and tourism owners some of the challenges they face and the fact that the federal government is missing in action in the partnership the business owners need with the local, provincial and federal governments. They talk about the reduction in tourism marketing, and the absence of skills and apprenticeship programs that help them access the people they need.

I wanted to hear from the member whether anything at all in the large corporate tax breaks or in the EI tax premiums and so on helps to address those issues that the owners of small businesses and tourism businesses face.

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, what I hear from small businesses in my riding is that the they are struggling. I had the owner of a restaurant in Windsor, Nova Scotia say to me recently that this person is having the worst year in 20-some years of operation because when the local gypsum company closed down its operations and people were laid off, they did not have the money to go out and buy lunch or dinner with their families.

There is a lot more the government could be doing to create opportunities within the small business community and that hon. member has been a leader in small business as an entrepreneur herself and has brought to this House that experience, and has some great ideas on how to create growth. What we need is a government that listens to members of Parliament, regardless of their party, who have legitimate ideas on how to create growth and opportunity for Canadian individuals and small businesses.

Kelly Block Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, on May 2 Canadians made a clear choice. They voted to keep the economy on track to recovery, and they voted to create jobs for both themselves and their children.

It has been the priority of our Conservative government to secure Canada's economic recovery, encourage growth, and create jobs through Canada's economic action plan. We are into its next phase, and it is clear that this is a plan that is working, a plan that is responding powerfully to an extraordinary challenge. Since its inception, we have cut taxes, opened new markets for businesses, and created approximately 650,000 net new jobs. For the fourth year in a row, Canada's financial system has been ranked the soundest system in the world by the World Economic Forum.

However, we cannot ignore the reality that yet we find many Canadians are still looking for work and the global recovery remains fragile.

The introduction of keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act is paramount and includes key elements of the next phase of Canada's economic action plan. We know, as I said, this is a plan that is working, so we must move this legislation forward with perseverance and intention.

I am proud and incredibly honoured to once again be representing the constituents of Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar. I know that this legislation, which continues to deliver on our promise of a low-tax plan for jobs and growth, will be well received by many residents in my riding.

Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar is a diverse riding. It is home to a broad range of demographics: farmers, tradespeople, business owners, artists, students, aboriginals, immigrants, new Canadians and people of every age. It draws on several economic bases, including agriculture, manufacturing, mining and the service industry.

Though there is diversity in the population, we can all agree that there are basic fundamentals every community requires in order to thrive: families need an adequate source of income; individuals need access to education and training; communities need stability and support to provide long-term sustainable infrastructure.

This is what our Conservative government is delivering on. By introducing measures such as the small business hiring tax credit in the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act, we are helping the private sector take back their rightful place as the primary source of new jobs.

This week is Small Business Week. It is important that we acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our small business owners. Small businesses employ millions of Canadians and are significant drivers of our economy. Given the fragile state of the global economy, the contributions of small businesses are more important than ever.

That is why we are committed to assisting small business expansion by lessening the costs of hiring. Consequently, we are helping unemployed workers and people new to the job market get the jobs they need and empower them to realize their dreams.

As I mentioned, we are also doing our part to strengthen families and ease the family budget. By introducing initiatives such as the family caregiver tax credit and the children's arts tax credit, we are helping to alleviate the cost of caring for loved ones and ensuring that kids are given the opportunity to thrive creatively in art, music or drama.

We are interested in creating a legacy for our children and ensuring a sustainable future for Canada. By improving financial assistance for students and making it easier to allocate registered education savings plan assets among siblings, we are enabling greater access to higher education.

I would also like to remind my colleagues that we have kept our commitment to ensure that Canada's seniors, who have worked hard to build our country, have a secure retirement and a good quality of life. That is why we introduced, earlier this year, the measure to enhance the guaranteed income supplement for those seniors who rely almost exclusively on their old age security and GIS. This is yet another example of our government keeping its promises.

In Saskatchewan we are blessed to have one of the lowest unemployment rates and highest growth rates in Canada. All of these measures that I have mentioned will help ensure that our economy continues to thrive and that the most vulnerable are not left behind.

As I have already mentioned, I represent a diverse riding that is both rural and urban. Access to doctors is an issue in rural and remote areas across the country; that is why we are delivering for Canadians by offering an incentive for new doctors and nurses to practise in those rural and remote areas. By offering student loan forgiveness to doctors and nurses who practise in rural and remote areas, we will ensure that families living in those communities receive the same high level of acceptable quality health care, no matter where they choose to live.

Similarly, many small urban and rural communities rely on volunteer firefighters to protect their lives and property. To encourage these volunteers and recognize the important service they provide to our communities, we will be providing a volunteer firefighters tax credit to those who perform at least 200 hours of service in their communities. This is something that has been asked for. It is a promise we have made, and now it will be a promise kept.

Canadians are a responsible, practical people, and they expect the same from their government. That is why we cannot continue with deficits indefinitely, as the opposition is calling for through a new round of stimulus spending.

This Conservative government made a promise to Canadians that we would eliminate the deficit. We will cut the deficit through restrained spending and through a targeted review of our programs. Through a combination of attrition in our public service and by targeting programs that were created to solve the problems of decades past and have long since outlived their usefulness, we will ensure value for tax dollars and continue towards our goal of returning Canada to balanced budgets in the 2014-15 fiscal year.

We also promised Canadians that we would eliminate the per-vote subsidy that forces taxpayers to give money to political parties. Regardless of what opposition parties might think, most Canadians believe that political parties are not entitled to tax dollars via a direct per-vote subsidy. Eliminating the subsidy will save Canadians millions upon millions of tax dollars every year.

In summary, we have been listening to Canadians. We promised to deliver on the priorities of Canadian families and to support communities. We promised to deliver jobs and economic growth. We promised to invest in education and respect the taxpayer.

Canadians have spoken, and we have listened. Now it is time to do our part. I hope that all parties will work collaboratively to respond to Canadians and the expectations and needs that they have expressed. I encourage all members in the House to support the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act. A vote to pass the bill is a vote in support of all Canadians.

Hoang Mai Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her speech.

She spoke about the importance of small businesses, as it is Small Business Week, and she said that there were measures for small businesses in this budget. If we really analyze these measures, we can see that they are not enough, in my opinion. There are tax credits that are available only to some businesses. Instead, we propose lowering the tax rate for small businesses.

Could my colleague confirm that the best way to help all businesses is to lower the tax rate?

Kelly Block Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, by introducing the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act, we are responding to all Canadians. This legislation will continue to deliver on our promise of a low-tax plan for jobs and growth across the country, continue to keep the economy on track to recovery, ensure value for tax dollars and, as I mentioned, continue towards our goal of returning Canada to balanced budgets.

This has been the priority of our Conservative government, and indeed it should be the priority of members in the House. I would encourage the member to support the passing of the bill.

Kevin Lamoureux Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, the member said that “Canadians have spoken, and we will listen”. In the Prairies there was a plebiscite through which wheat farmers sent a very strong message. They were hoping that the government was going to listen to what a vast majority of wheat farmers were saying, which is that they want to retain the Canadian Wheat Board. Based on the member saying that Conservatives are listening to what Canadians are saying, can she assure the House that her government will listen to what the Canadian wheat farmer is saying in the Prairies?

Kelly Block Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, on March 22 the government tabled budget 2011. As we all know, the budget was not adopted prior to the dissolution of Parliament, but on May 2 Canadians expressed their support for our government's low-tax plan to protect and create jobs, to secure Canada's economic recovery and to improve the well-being of Canadians in future years. As a result, the update tabled on June 6 included all of the measures that were previously announced on March 22.

As I mentioned earlier, the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act includes the key elements of the next phase of Canada's economic action plan. We campaigned on that plan, and Canadians spoke on May 2. I would encourage the member to support the passing of the bill.

LaVar Payne Medicine Hat, AB

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to ask my colleague a question in terms of the next phase of our economic action plan. Could my colleague from Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar tell us how this new budget would help people in her riding?

Kelly Block Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity this summer to spend a lot of time in my riding and to speak with constituents about the next phase of Canada's economic action plan. They told us before the election that this plan was working and that this was an opportunistic, unnecessary election. They are telling us now to get it done and to keep our promises, because there are measures in Canada's economic action plan that would make a difference in the lives of my constituents.

As I mentioned, we would have the small business hiring tax credit, the family caregiver tax credit, the children's arts tax credit, the volunteer firefighters tax credit. All of these tax credits would benefit the constituents in my riding.

We are delivering on our commitments and ensuring that our economy continues to thrive and that the most vulnerable are not left behind.