Finance Committee on Oct. 26th, 2009

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

I guess I'm asking if they are capable of administering their money. And is it enough? I know what the disability tax credit is all about, but I don't even think the amounts are sufficient to get them anywhere.

[Anna MacQuarrie]

I agree.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

That's where I'm going with this. They would probably require more services, so wouldn't we just probably be better off guaranteeing them a minimum service in terms of housing and making sure they're fed? Wouldn't that be a starting point, rather than making sure they get a disability tax credit refunded to them?

[Anna MacQuarrie]

I think we need to start with a point that all people have control in their own lives, have voice and say in their own lives. By prescribing a service or a particular service response to someone's disability, I think it's undermining their capacity to have choice in their life, to spend their money as they see fit.

We would be better off to ensure that people have additional dollars in their pocket. I agree completely. A refundable disability tax credit does not go far enough in addressing the real poverty need. But I think we have to be starting from an assumption of capacity. It's a similar issue to the registered disability savings plan.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you. That's a good answer.

Ms. Deboisbriand, I am a member from Quebec. There are youth centres in my riding. In my opinion, the problem is that the programs aren't recurrent and that their budgets are constantly being slashed. The centres attract young people from 10 to 15 years of age, but when they turn 15, we lose them because they have other interests. Some work, they don't all have bad intentions.

Would you comment on this please?

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

I'll respond briefly. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada's programming continues after the teenage years. Although there's a drop, we do continue to provide various services to a slightly older clientele. Oftentimes, these are young people who become volunteers and deal with younger groups, who lend a hand in the homework clubs, and get involved socially. It's also a way of preventing crime.

We also see them getting involved in the area of social integration and job readiness. There are a lot of clubs which offer that kind of service. And they continue to attract a slightly older clientele.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

So there is some follow-up.

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

That's right.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

And is it a problem for you that the funds aren't recurrent?

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

It's a huge problem, particularly when it comes to the clientele we referred to in our proposal. These are often young people who...

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

I'm sorry to cut you off, but my time is limited.

So is the recommendation that this be a spread over three, four or five years?

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

As a minimum, it would have to be spread over three years, but we would hope that it would be over five years. These young people don't have any stability in their lives, everything's always short term. Parents, school, and social workers have always been present in the short term. If we're not capable of giving them something more long term, well then we run the risk of causing them more harm.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Parfait. Merci.

Just quickly, Mr. Mackay, you were saying that of the money that was committed for trade gateways, none of it has gone out in the last two years. Why is that happening?

[Cliff Mackay]

I think the primary reason is that there's been an enormous amount of time spent on the front-end consultation, planning, and these sorts of things, both in the Atlantic area and in the Ontario-Quebec area. We and a number of other organizations have submitted very specific proposals. We're really hopeful that things will start moving soon.

I mean it when I say we're in a race with the U.S. There are enormous amounts of funding going into basic transportation infrastructure of all kinds, and we need to make sure our system is efficient and effective. Otherwise we'll lose share.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

Mr. Gaudet.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question is for Mr. Mackay once again. Do you agree with the highspeed train project that would connect Windsor and Quebec City, via Montreal and Toronto? There's a similar project out west. Do you support the project? From an environmental standpoint, it would be very beneficial.

[Cliff Mackay]

Sir, the short answer is yes. We do support high-speed rail. We think it's a very viable long-term solution to congestion and other issues, and it's environmentally sound as well. There are obviously major issues that need to be sorted out on the financing, and we need to ensure that we don't put the systems into conflict. We need both passenger and freight, and they both need to be efficient and effective. We don't want to create a system where you put those two systems into conflict.

You need to have that thought through at the front end.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

In your opinion, how long will this take to implement?

[Cliff Mackay]

We are hopeful that we will see the reports the governments have been doing very shortly. We would argue that we're at that point. We think now is the time to start thinking seriously about high-speed rail, both in the corridor here in central Canada and possibly between Edmonton and Calgary as well. It's going to take a number of years to engineer it and plan it right, but unless you get started you're just going to lose more time. Frankly, we're pretty much convinced that the U.S. is going to move on a number of projects over the next 12 to 18 months.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

I'm happy to know that the Americans are truly headed down that track. It would perhaps be time for us to do the same. Today is 2009, and we are examining a report that had been requested in 1990. It will be almost 20 years, and no further advancement will have been made. I don't know if successive governments truly had the willpower to take on these projects. Whatever the case, if we want to protect the environment, this would be a good method. Thank you.

I will ask my next question to Ms. Deboisbriand.

How are the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada financed?

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

The majority of funding, approximately 60%, comes from provincial governments. In fact, federal funding is minimal. It comes mostly from the Summer Jobs Program. The rest of the funding comes from fundraising, special activities such as spaghetti dinners and golf tournaments. It is a lot of work for a frequently small return on investment.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Why does the federal government not invest more in that? It wants to increase prevention among young people, but it is not investing in those types of activities. Perhaps it prefers to invest in prisons. I don't know.

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

It is one of the areas where the federal government could get involved. Our mission is truly in the field of prevention. We are asking that current budgets, which are, in our opinion, at minimum levels, be increased. When we talk about crime in general, the total budget for justice is approximately $14 or $15 billion. We are asking for $350 million for prevention.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

How much are you receiving now?

[Marlene Deboisbriand]

In total, the federal government invests $46 million in this area.