Peter Braid

[Infrastructure, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that investing in public infrastructure is vital to ensuring strong, sustainable, and healthy communities with thriving economies. That is why this government is providing an unprecedented $80 billion for public infrastructure over 10 years, which includes our new Building Canada plan.

This plan has been open for business since March of 2014, and over $6 billion in funding continues to flow from our existing infrastructure programs. Last year, the City of Thunder Bay used contributions used contributions from the federal gas tax fund to help rehabilitate its local roads and bridges. Our government is working with provinces and territories to identify their top infrastructure priorities, and we are processing proposals as quickly as they come in.

We look forward to considering investing in projects that Thunder Bay deems critical, just as we will for all Canadian municipalities, to ensure the long-term prosperity of this country.

[Infrastructure, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, since this Conservative government was elected in 2006, Canada has led all G7 countries with respect to investments and infrastructure as a percentage of GDP. What have been the results of those investments? The average age of public infrastructure is now at its lowest point since the early 1980s.

Our government recognizes that public infrastructure is the backbone of our communities and that investing in infrastructure is vital to ensuring strong, sustainable, and healthy communities with thriving economies. That is why this government is providing an unprecedented $80 billion for public infrastructure over the next 10 years. This includes the $53 billion new Building Canada plan, the largest and longest federal infrastructure plan in our country's history. The plan was designed following extensive consultation with our partners. It provides flexible and predictable federal funding in support of infrastructure projects of national, regional, and local significance, and it is made up of a number of different funds.

The new Building Canada plan has been open for business since March of 2014. Moreover, over $6 billion in public infrastructure funding continues to support infrastructure projects across the country from our original Building Canada plan, which started in 2007.

Providing almost $2 billion of predictable funding per year directly to municipalities, the federal gas tax fund has been significantly improved since 2006. Not only have we expanded its eligible categories to support a greater variety of projects, but our government has also extended it, doubled it, indexed it, and legislated it as a permanent source of federal infrastructure funding.

Moreover, municipalities can pool, bank, and borrow against this funding, allowing them more flexibility in addressing their local needs. Municipalities, including Thunder Bay, can count on the federal gas tax fund. In fact, last year Thunder Bay used contributions from the federal gas tax fund to help revitalize local roads and bridges. Thunder Bay received more than $6.2 million in 2014 alone through the federal gas tax fund.

The plan also contains the $14 billion new Building Canada fund, which is geared toward funding projects of importance to provinces, territories, and municipalities. Under the provincial-territorial infrastructure component, each Canadian province and territory will receive a base amount, plus a per capita allocation over the life of the program. Our government is working with provinces and territories to identify projects, and we are processing proposals as quickly as they come in. We look forward to considering investing in further projects that Thunder Bay deems critical, just as we will for all municipalities across Canada.

Our government is focused on creating the right conditions for economic growth and prosperity.

[Infrastructure, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, our government's support for public infrastructure has never been stronger. Since 2006, our government has dramatically increased the average annual federal funding for thousands of provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects across the country. We are building on these historic investments with $80 billion for public infrastructure over 10 years, including, of course, the $53-billion new building Canada plan.

Canadian municipalities have unprecedented ways in which they can put this federal funding to work in their communities. People in St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, can count on their federal allocation through the gas tax fund as a minimum. We look forward to considering investing in projects that this city deems to be important, just as we do for all Canadian municipalities through the new building Canada fund.

Our government is committed to creating jobs, promoting growth and building strong, prosperous communities across this country.

[Infrastructure, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, our government's support for public infrastructure in this country has never been stronger. Since 2006, our government has dramatically increased the average annual federal funding for thousands of provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects across the country. We are building on Canada's historic investments with $80 billion for public infrastructure over the next 10 years, including the $53-billion new building Canada plan for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure. As Canada's largest and longest federal infrastructure plan, the new building Canada plan provides predictable and flexible funding so that municipalities from coast to coast to coast can address their most pressing infrastructure priorities and plan for the long term.

Our new building Canada plan ensures support through a number of different funds. The federal gas tax fund supplies almost $2 billion in federal funding per year. Since 2006, our Conservative government has extended, doubled, indexed and made the gas tax fund permanent through legislation. We have also expanded its eligible categories so that it covers a wider range of types of projects. Further, municipalities can pool, bank and borrow against this gas tax funding.

Another major component of the plan is the new building Canada fund, made up of the national infrastructure component for projects of national significance. The provincial-territorial infrastructure component has dedicated funding for provinces and territories. Under the provincial-territorial infrastructure component, each Canadian province and territory receives a base amount, plus a per capita allocation over the 10 years of the program.

Not only are the new building Canada plan programs well under way, over $6 billion in public infrastructure funding continues to flow from the original plan and other federal programs to support infrastructure projects across the country.

Canadian municipalities, including those in Manitoba, have unprecedented ways in which they can put the federal funding to work in their communities. Through the plan, Manitoba will benefit from almost $1.2 billion in dedicated federal funding, including almost $476 million under the new building Canada fund, and an estimated $713 million under the federal gas tax fund.

The new building Canada plan has been open for business since March 2014, and programs are well under way. We are working with the provinces and the territories to identify projects, and we are processing proposals as quickly as they come in. In fact, more than $6 billion in total project costs have already been announced under the new program, and we look forward to announcing many more projects in 2015.

Late last year, our Prime Minister announced another $5.8 billion to address national infrastructure priorities that will have long-lasting, local benefits, including, of course, job creation. There is also significant funding from existing federal infrastructure programs, which continue to support public infrastructure in municipalities across Canada.

In closing, our government is committed to creating jobs, promoting growth and building strong, prosperous communities across this great country.

[Canadian Fraternal Alliance, May 14th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the insurance industry has a proud history in Canada. Over the past century, insurance companies have contributed to our economy while helping Canadians secure their financial futures.

Today, the Canadian Fraternal Alliance is in Ottawa for its first advocacy day, raising awareness and highlighting the achievements of fraternal benefit societies. They are unique organizations within the sector that provide insurance and financial products to their members, and also demonstrate a strong commitment to giving back to their communities through volunteerism and support of charitable activities. For example, FaithLife Financial in Waterloo has contributed almost $44 million in donations and volunteer hours since its inception, and all fraternals are making a similar impact in their local communities.

I would like to thank all fraternal benefit societies for making a difference in their communities.

[Petitions, May 14th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by many residents of my great riding of Kitchener—Waterloo.

This petition highlights and underscores the importance of respecting the right of the small-scale family farmers to preserve, exchange, and use seeds.

[Kitchener—Waterloo 2014 Citizen of the Year, May 8th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Hon. Walter McLean, the 2014 Citizen of the Year for Kitchener—Waterloo. This prestigious award presented by the Lions Club acknowledges the contributions of outstanding leaders in our community.

Walter was the member of Parliament for Waterloo for 14 years and was at the forefront of Canada's stand against apartheid. Since leaving office, Walter has continued to advance civil society and international development issues, and continues to make a deep and lasting impact, both at home and abroad.

For our community, he is a wonderful example of the value and the honour of public service, which is why the Citizen of the Year award is so well deserved. We thank Walter for making a difference.

[Health, May 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, our government remains fully committed to a publicly funded, universally accessible health care system that provides health care for all Canadians.

That is why we have continued to increase health funding to record levels. Since our government took office, federal support through the Canada health transfer has increased by nearly 70%. The transfer will continue to increase, reaching over $40 billion by the end of the decade.

Our government also remains the largest investor in Canadian health research. In partnership with the provinces, territories and stakeholders, we will continue to strive to strengthen health care through investments in research and innovation.

To summarize, our government is clearly demonstrating our commitment to the future of Canada's health care system through fair and sustainable health care funding, support for research, and fostering partnerships in the pursuit of an innovation agenda that will further the equality, accessibility, and sustainability of our great health care system.

[Health, May 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address the comments from the hon. member, with respect to health care funding.

Our government is committed to a strong, publicly funded, universally accessible health care system that is there for all Canadians, both today and into the future. That is why we have continued to increase health funding to record levels while, at the time, ensuring that our government's long-term fiscal position is sustainable, in order to continue to support the provision of high-quality health care services that Canadians have come to expect.

In 2015-16, our government will provide $34 billion to provinces and territories in cash support through the Canada health transfer. This ongoing federal investment will continue to increase, surpassing $40 billion by the end of the decade. Even through the economic downturn, we have increased health transfers to the provinces and the territories to unprecedented levels. Combine this with the fact that health spending growth in Canada has actually slowed in recent years, and federal support for health care is even more significant.

In fact, health spending has not exceeded economic growth since 2011. In 2014, provincial and territorial government health spending growth was forecasted to be at 1.9%, which is the lowest rate observed since the mid-1990s. All indications are that this trend of reduced health spending growth will continue into the future.

Notwithstanding, our government has committed to extend the 6% Canada health transfer escalator through 2016-17, providing provinces and territories with additional fiscal room to meet their health care needs as they continue to address their respective priorities. The renewed Canada health transfer will provide provinces and territories with the certainty, stability and additional fiscal flexibility to undertake needed reforms to make the system more effective and sustainable.

Of course, improving health care is about more than just funding levels. It will require innovation to make the most efficient use of available resources. The federal government already plays a key role in supporting health care innovation and improvement, with investments of close $1 billion per year through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. On any given day, we are supporting close to 13,000 researchers across Canada who are working to discover new ways of treating illnesses and delivering health care.

In addition, our government supports pan-Canadian organizations, such as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement, which serve as catalysts for building capacity and sharing innovations across the country. I am pleased to note that economic action plan 2015 would commit $14 million, over two years, for the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement.

Provinces, territories and stakeholders all agree that health care innovation can play a critical role in addressing health care challenges. Given the importance of innovation in health care, in June 2014, we launched the advisory panel on health care innovation to explore how our government can foster innovation, and improve patient care and the sustainability of Canada's health care system. The panel has been asked to identify promising areas of innovation in Canada, and internationally, that have the potential to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of our health care system. The panel will report back in June 2015, offering its recommendations on how our government can best support needed change.

We are also creating partnerships in order to help the provinces and territories carry out innovative health reforms and deliver tangible results for Canadians.

Clearly, we will continue to ensure that our health care system will endure as a source of national pride.

[The Environment, April 22nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned previously, in yesterday's balanced budget, our Conservative government announced a dedicated public transit fund, for the first time ever, moving forward $1 billion every year to support municipalities with their public transit needs. Like never before, this government is getting it done.