Karen Redman

[Supply, February 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the issue of the brain drain is one that is very near and dear to my heart. While not directly in my riding, Kitchener-Waterloo are twin cities. It is one of the institutions the members opposite have been quoting when they talk about the brain drain. I point out to the hon. member that one of the highest growth sectors for the region of Waterloo is the high tech industry. It is staying in Canada. It is creating jobs and opportunities in companies that make this country proud on a global basis.

[Supply, February 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, one of the examples I used in my comments was the sectoral arrangements that are being made and the partnerships that are being formed with institutions in the business sector. It is key that all of those parties continue to look at curriculum and continue to have it evolve in a way where there is meaningful employment at the end of the educational stream. I see that as being done in partnership. That is something this government has demonstrated. Not only is it committed to it happening, but it is successful at having it happen.

[Supply, February 18th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to apply a little reason to what has become a very rhetorical debate.

My colleagues opposite seem to relish raising alarm bells about the national brain drain. It is true some American and Canadian employers are competing for talented Canadian youth. An example would be the software industry. The brain drain is a challenge faced by all industrialized countries including the United States.

I encourage members opposite to raise their awareness of the government's many strategic investments in Canada's young people which seek to create job opportunities for them at home.

I welcome the chance to assure the hon. member that Canada's future is in very good hands. It is in the hands of extraordinarily talented and creative young people, the best educated, the most literate and the most technologically savvy generation the country has ever produced.

As the Prime Minister stated in his Reply to the Speech from the Throne, the government is investing in our youth's future. He said “Canada will remain the best country to live in because it cares about its people”.

Our commitments to Canada's youth are a living testimonial to a fundamental truth. Let me remind the House that the government made youth a national priority. Each year we invest over $2 billion on youth programs aimed at helping young people to realize their potential and to prepare them to seize job opportunities in the emerging new economy. These investments support access to learning, the key to employability in today's demanding and rapidly changing economy.

We offer young Canadians every opportunity to pursue their professional goals by supporting them financially in their post-secondary studies. Increasing access to higher learning is an overriding goal of federal initiatives such as the Canada student loans program, registered education savings plans, and the recently announced millennium scholarship endowment fund.

Access to education is only one part of this equation. The federal government also makes strategic investments in science, technology and the creation of knowledge, the very lifeblood of the new economy. These investments enable Canadian youth to carve out new niches for themselves in an emerging knowledge economy.

To encourage excellence and inspire aspiration, this government funds the $800 million Canadian Foundation for Innovation. By rebuilding the research infrastructure of universities and teaching hospitals, the foundation will stimulate economic development in knowledge intensive sectors to improve opportunities for young graduates to pursue research careers here in Canada.

The Government of Canada also works closely with the national business organizations involved in leading edge research into the development of the workforce for the next century. For example we contribute to the business education partnership forum advisory committee which is organized by the Conference Board of Canada. Initiatives such as Career Edge which is backed by over 200 Canadian corporations and the corporate council on youth and the economy are giving Canadian youth a leg up in the competitive global economy.

This government's productive partnerships with the private sector are equipping young Canadians with the skills they need not only to find work but to excel in an information economy. Partnerships such as the sectoral partnership initiative form a cornerstone for Canada's approach to creating job opportunities for youth.

Many of our initiatives link universities with the business community by bringing together educators, employers, workers and government both to define and to address human resource challenges facing Canadian industry. There are a number of outstanding examples of successful partnerships with universities either directly with individual institutions or through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

Another crucial partnership in light of the skills shortage in one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy is the Software Human Resources Council. The council is working to increase the supply and quality of workers entering this booming area of the labour force and in the process is creating opportunities for Canadian youth.

While we are quick to nurture the best and the brightest, we are equally determined to ensure no young person is left behind in the rapid transition to the knowledge economy. We assist youth who experience difficulties moving from school to the labour market through a range of programs under our youth employment strategy. This government invests $375 million a year in initiatives such as Youth Service Canada, Youth Internship Canada and the student summer job action program to help young people find jobs. Over three years this strategy will create nearly 280,000 experiences for young Canadians.

Since the Government of Canada began investing in youth employment in 1994, over 300,000 youth have acquired work experience and skills development. Recent surveys indicate that 88% of Youth Internship Canada and 85% of Youth Service Canada participants are either employed, self-employed or returned to school six to twelve months after completing the federal youth program.

Our collective challenge is to ensure we nurture this new talent pool, match would be workers with job ready employers and create every opportunity for young people to put their abilities to work for the benefit of Canada.

I am the first to admit that government initiatives are not the entire solution. They never will be. There is no doubt there is much more work to be done to ensure Canadian young people assume their rightful place in the workforce. But there can be no denying that this government is doing many things right.

I do not share my hon. colleague's sense of alarm that the sky is falling. Instead I see every reason to believe that Canada in the new millennium will be a place of great hope and equally great opportunity, a place where young Canadians can proudly stake their claim to a better future.

As Canadian naturalist and author Roderick Haig-Brown once said “In Canada my children are free to make their lives as they would be nowhere else, less free perhaps than I was, because now there are more people; but more free because now there are more ways”.

On that inspirational note I urge my hon. colleague to withdraw his unduly pessimistic motion. Instead find new ways to work with us for the betterment of Canada's young people and for us all. For truly, the sky is the limit.

[National Unity, February 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in the midst of this year's ice storm and the devastation there was also great beauty. Canadians demonstrated a unifying sense of community that embraces the expanse of this great country.

In light of the initiatives during the ice storm and the current media focus on national unity it is essential that Canadians and Quebeckers have this context in mind when dealing with the future of our country.

Unity requires the ongoing effort of all Canadians, for my constituents of Kitchener Centre here in Ontario, the people of British Columbia, Manitoba and Newfoundland to reach out to the hearts of Quebeckers, to make a connection on a personal level as we saw during the ice storm aftermath.

The future of this country cannot be seen as a clash of titans, as a tug of war between governments. It should not be depicted as a political issue, as some are trying to do.

This is a people issue. It is an issue of the Canadian people.

[Supply, February 10th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member opposite if she would care to comment on this. She mentioned that a lot of what we are very proud of in Canada is in theory only. However, I can think of two of the most important votes that I as a member have voted on. One was the Newfoundland school question and the other was the Quebec school question. Those votes were a clear demonstration that this country and its constitution are willing to keep time with current events as they unfold and also to make room for an emerging nation.

I would ask the member opposite how she could make those comments in the face of legislation which has already been passed.

[Day Care, February 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.

At the business women's trade mission to Washington last fall Canadian women stated that one of the largest impediments to women entrepreneurs is child care costs.

Is the minister prepared at least to consider making child care expenses deductible as costs incurred for the purpose of providing income?

[Child Benefit, February 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak against Private Member's Motion No. 198 regarding the indexation of the child tax benefit.

I acknowledge and am proud that this government is now on sound economic footing. This stability has been attained through reworking government priorities and maintaining good fiscal management.

Throughout the pre-budget hearings in the fall it was brought to the attention of the Standing Committee on Finance that this good news was achieved at a cost; a social cost in some cases.

This motion calls for a review of the level at which the child tax benefit is indexed.

On the face of it the motion sounds plausible. However, there are some compelling reasons why, after giving it thought, it cannot go forward.

First, income tax has been and will continue to be reviewed to make strategic adjustments.

Second, there is a trigger. The Income Tax Act states that the child tax benefit will be indexed each year by the amount which the annual change in the consumer price index exceeds 3%. This policy of partial indexation is consistent with the treatment of most other parameters of the personal tax system and is respectful of the fiscal problems which are facing the federal government.

Third, there is the option available in the Income Tax Act, as it now stands, to allow discretionary adjustments to the child tax benefit as needed.

Finally, this government is committed to listening to the people's request to make strategic investments.

For these reasons I would have to ask the question: Why, when this government has shown commitments to low and middle income families and to combating child poverty, would the member opposite suggest a review? I can only assume that the change the member is calling for is for that of full indexation of the child tax benefit.

The current policy of partial indexation in the tax system applies to the basic personal credit, spousal credit, tax bracket and others. For this reason it would be difficult to go to full indexing for some parameters and not for others. As the member opposite mentioned, there are not poor children, but poor families, and I believe this needs to be looked at in a holistic manner.

The full indexation of the child tax benefit in other parameters would mean a cost of about $850 million per year. On a cumulative scale, this would mean $1.7 billion a year, and so on. The full indexation of the child tax benefit alone would mean, with the inflation rate of 1.6% per year, a cost of about $160 million a year, and would keep building.

This type of yearly commitment is not one which would be withdrawn once it was made. This commitment would threaten the government's program to restore and maintain fiscal balance and would therefore not be prudent at this time.

This government has stated that it will review its policy of partial indexation once its fiscal position makes it appropriate. In the meantime, government policy has been strategic and targeted to assistance in priority areas, like families.

Although the government has maintained its position on partial indexing, it has made related adjustments to address the needs of low and middle income families. This government has made and will make improvements to the child tax benefit. This includes an increase of $850 million in assistance provided to low income families through child tax benefit implemented over the past two budgets.

We have promised a further enrichment of child benefits of the same magnitude during this current mandate. This is just one of many initiatives that this government has made. These actions demonstrate that assistance to families, particularly aimed at low and modest income levels, is and will continue to be a priority for this government.

Throughout the prebudget hearings we heard from Canadians. Canadians are looking to this government for leadership. They are relying on the delivery of policies that are sustainable and funding that will endure.

Canadians asked for strategic reinvestment in programs. The government is answering this request slowly and carefully. Have we done enough? No, not yet. Can we do more? Yes, we can and we will. However, this government cannot and will not put Canadians at the risk of bankruptcy as past governments have done.

This motion deals with exactly the type of uncalculated economic commitment which made this government's corrective fiscal actions a necessity.

Although child poverty is on the mind of almost every member in this House, regardless of party, this is not the step to take and I believe this is not the time to take it.

[Supply, February 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am on the Standing Committee on Finance. One of the things we heard when we travelled across Canada was that Canadians were happy with the balanced budget and that they wanted to see sustainability.

I hear an incredible mix from members of the Reform Party. They talk about the kind of tax measures they would like to see implemented. I also hear them talking about concerns for health care and education. My understanding is that it would cost around $30 billion to achieve the things they are suggesting and that would grow by approximately $4 billion a year.

How could you balance the budget given those kinds of spiralling costs? Are you willing to give up the kind of stability which we have offered the Canadian public?

[1998 Winter Olympics, February 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a number of athletes from my riding of Kitchener Centre who are at this time preparing for the opening of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Kevin and Cindy Overland, sibling speed long track skaters, will be competing in Nagano for Canadian medals. Scott Stevens whose family is from Kitchener will be playing hockey under the Canadian flag for Team Canada.

Through years of dedication and hard work they have arrived at this goal. When they participate in the opening ceremonies and their individual events citizens of Kitchener and Canadians around the world will feel a sense of pride in the accomplishment of these athletes.

To these athletes from Kitchener and those from surrounding areas and across Canada I extend on my behalf and on behalf of my constituents our sincere pride and best wishes.

[Ice Storm 1998, February 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Mississauga South.

The ice storm of 1998 will go down in history for many reasons. It truly was a disaster of historic proportions. To the people who experienced deprivation and loss inflicted by the storm I extend my sincere sympathy.

There remains much to be done to restore full power and to recover from the losses to person and property, especially in the rural areas of Quebec and eastern Ontario.

In the face of a natural disaster of such proportion immediate and targeted action is required. I am proud of the speed with which the government mobilized operation recuperation. Over 15,000 regular and reserved troops went to assist those communities affected. This is the largest peacetime mobilization of soldiers in Canadian history.

An army of hydro workers from Quebec Hydro and Ontario Hydro came to rebuild the power lines of a system devastated by ice and the elements. It is work that still continues.

I commend the partnership of local levels of government and the provincial governments which have acted decisively in providing leadership to recovery efforts.

Helping hands were extended from across the nation and across the United States border to help in any way they could, from providing the much sought after generators to volunteers who staffed mobile kitchens and cleared away debris.

It is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this event. However, individual Canadians reached out to fellow Canadians to offer help and demonstrate sense of community that exists in the country. The efforts ranged from donations of money to actually travelling to the devastated regions.

In my riding of Kitchener Centre help was focused on two Quebec ridings and one in eastern Ontario. The local media played a key role in alerting the community to specific items such as wicks for kerosene lamps and baby diapers that were in short supply. Kitchener firefighters used a centrally located station as a collection depot. The food bank of KW and the local Red Cross collected food items and supplies. The Indian Canadian Association of Kitchener—Waterloo raised several thousands of dollars when a young man from that community asked his father “what can we do?” The KW Humane Society travelled to the affected areas and brought back animals for shelter and adoption. Grant Transport shipped large quantities of heating oil and chain saw oil which was donated by Monarch Oil. Erb Transport sent daily runs of trucks containing supplies into Montreal for distribution to outlying areas.

These are just a sampling of the initiatives that were carried out by my community, a demonstration of the concern and goodwill that the people of Kitchener feel for their fellow citizens who were affected by this disaster.

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of everyone involved, including especially members of my staff. I am heartened by their action and humbled by the generosity.

The devastation caused by the ice storm of 1998, the damage to the landscape and the loss of property which continues to still be tallied will take years to recover from. The turmoil in human terms and the loss of loved ones are emotional issues that will only be dealt with by individuals with the passage of time. However time can never dim the individual acts of heroism and the collective goodwill and charity which Canadians extended to fellow Canadians.