Canada Disability Benefit Act  Madam Speaker, the Canada disability benefit is one piece of the puzzle as we seek to look after Canadians. Obviously this government has increased OAS by 10%, which is the first increase to OAS we have seen in well over 30 years. Therefore, we are putting in place programs that look after Canadians in all stages and all phases of life, from the very young to the very old.

Canada Disability Benefit Act  Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question and one of the central questions of this framework, which is working together with the provinces and territories, working together with the disability community and, frankly, working together with all Canadians to make certain that there would be absolutely no clawbacks on existing programs at the provincial or territorial level.

Canada Disability Benefit Act  Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by saying how proud I am to stand next to the hon. Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. Her inspiring, collaborative leadership to usher this bill forward will be life-changing for so many Canadians in this country, and it certainly has been an honour of my life to be able to work alongside the minister on this incredibly important initiative for Canadians.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Income Survey (CIS) is the official data source for estimating annual poverty statistics based on Canada’s Official Poverty Line. Results from the 2020 CIS, released on March 23, 2022, show that there were 2.7 million fewer people living in poverty in 2020 compared to 2015.

Finance  Madam Speaker, when the pandemic hit, we acted quickly to get recovery benefits into people's bank accounts without delay. To achieve that goal, we planned to verify eligibility on the back end, after the fact. This approach kept workers attached to their jobs and positioned our economy to come roaring back, which it did.

Finance  Madam Speaker, when the pandemic hit, our government acted quickly to ensure that Canadians had the support they needed to get by. We were clear from the outset that we would do post-payment verifications in order to get money out the door quickly when it was needed, while also ensuring support went to eligible individuals.

Birthday Congratulations  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in the House of Commons to tell members a bit about a special constituent named Marta. Marta is a remarkable person. Born in a small town in eastern Poland, she dreamed of becoming a dancer, but studied administration instead and worked with her husband in a large factory to help raise a family, including two boys, the youngest of which was a steady source of mischief.

Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Richmond Hill for his tireless work on behalf of all persons with disabilities and all constituents. In October we launched the first-ever disability inclusion action plan, a road map for our country to remove barriers by focusing on financial security, employment, accessible and inclusive communities and a modern approach to disability.

Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, we must address the long-standing financial insecurity that is the lived reality of far too many working-age Canadians with disabilities. Bill C-22 would help us do just that by creating the groundbreaking Canada disability benefit. The CDB has the potential to lift hundreds of thousands of Canadians with disabilities out of poverty.

Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Our government is proud to support this year’s theme: “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”.

100th Anniversary of Easter Seals  Mr. Speaker, Easter Seals Ontario was established 100 years ago in my hometown of Windsor thanks to the vision of Rotary clubs, including our own Rotary Club of Windsor (1918). Easter Seals has grown into a national organization that supports countless children with disabilities through programs, camps and funding for mobility equipment.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, temporary foreign workers are absolutely vital to the Canadian economy. Employers should be able to obtain decisions on whether they can hire TFWs in a timely manner. We are taking additional measures to address labour shortages, including removing the cap on low-wage positions for employers in seasonal industries.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, the government has had workers' backs during the COVID pandemic in the worst of that crisis, but we also understand that Canada needs an EI system for the 21st century moving forward. That is why we consulted widely with unions, workers, employers and other partners from coast to coast to coast to build an EI system that meets the needs of Canadians.

Persons with Disabilities  Mr. Speaker, since 2015, we have taken historic steps toward building a barrier-free Canada. In addition to the $112 million committed to in budget 2021, with budget 2022 we are investing nearly $300 million in disability inclusion, including an employment strategy for persons with disabilities and funding to support the creation of materials for persons with print disabilities.

Diabetes Awareness Month  Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago I hosted in Ottawa a constituent, Ryan Hooey, and his dog, Joe. Ryan is one of the 750,000 Canadians living with diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of blindness in Canada. Despite the strong link between diabetes and sight loss, Ryan told me about the challenge of using insulin pumps safely and independently, because they are not accessible to Canadians with sight loss.