Evidence of meeting #79 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.
A video is available from Parliament.
Member of the Board, Canadian Association of Community Health Centres
I'm seeing my colleagues at CHCs in Ontario next week, so I'll make sure to pass on the message.
Conservative
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Dolan, last week I was in my riding. We organized an information session regarding the disability tax credit, and we were lucky to have the CRA come to explain the advantages. We had close to 150 people show up. Unfortunately, CRA, with the budget cuts, will not be providing those services any more.
We understand that the tax credit is really important for people with disabilities. You say it is not sufficient or there are some issues with it, or that even though there are some tax credits that are not refundable, people with disabilities are still living in poverty. I read in your brief there is almost twice as much risk for them to live in poverty, and it gets worse when you're from the first nations community. Can you tell us a bit more?
National Chairperson, Council of Canadians with Disabilities
One of the issues around the disability tax credit is, as I said, having it fully refundable for people who are not employed or who can't find employment. But the issue around that as well is that we don't want provinces grabbing back from people who are on social assistance. We did that with the child tax credit, and I believe the provinces can no longer grasp at persons who are on social assistance to take the child tax credit away. We would like to see the disability tax credit refundable, but again, not have it included as part of an income under social assistance in the provinces.
Another issue around the disability tax credit is persons who are eligible for the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit. Once one is eligible for the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit, he or she should be automatically eligible for the disability tax credit. The two are not always tied together. There are two separate systems for making people eligible for the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit and for the disability tax credit; they are similar systems. They create additional paperwork for persons with a disability, who have to go back to their medical professionals and sometimes have to pay for the additional paperwork that's required. The two of them should be tied together.
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
I don't have much time, but I just want to point out that in your brief you say that raising the age of eligibility for GIS may make people with disabilities live in poverty longer. Can you just very briefly comment on that?
National Chairperson, Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Some persons on provincial social assistance programs are looking forward to reaching 65 so they can be eligible for the Canada pension and the supplementary benefit. It is unfortunate that persons are wishing themselves to be older. With the possibility of the eligibility age of the Canada Pension Plan being extended, it could mean that people will have to wait longer to get out of poverty.
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Thank you very much.
My next question is for the representative of the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres.
You spoke about Bill C-400, which was introduced by my colleague and has to do with a national housing plan. Mr. Wolfe, the purpose of my question is in part to provide an answer to Mr. Adler's question.
Two days ago, Canada Without Poverty appeared before the committee. According to their representatives, the cost to get Canadians out of poverty is about $12.6 billion, but for Canada, the real cost of poverty is about $24 billion.
Would you agree that it is more expensive not to take on poverty?
Member of the Board, Canadian Association of Community Health Centres
That's right, especially if income inequality continues to increase. It's terrible in Canada. It is continuing, it creates other problems, and it costs a lot more than taking on the problem.
NDP
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
In the past few years, has the situation improved or worsened under this government? It had started even under the Liberals, and the gap between rich and poor has increased.
Member of the Board, Canadian Association of Community Health Centres
The gap is widening. Sometimes there is an improvement, but it is a motley assortment of measures. Sometimes a municipality decides to make certain investments in affordable housing. Sometimes a province decides to tackle the issue of welfare recipients, or the federal government has some kind of initiative, but no one is working together. There is no national strategy. There is no provincial strategy that sticks to the national strategy and that the municipalities follow. I think that is the problem. Everyone acknowledges that there is a problem, but no one wants to share it and find solutions. Obviously, we need a national strategy.
Conservative
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you very much, witnesses, for coming. I apologize for my tardiness, but I had another committee that I had to attend.
I'm interested in productivity, mobility of workforce, the small and medium enterprises that comprise 60% of our workforce, and possible tax credits, either for training, for travel, or for housing, because of the nature of our economy.
I would especially like to hear from Financial Executives International Canada. I read the answers you provided to the questions, and I have to say that I was impressed with many of them.
It seems that, first of all, you represent a very influential group of individuals, some of the top financial minds in Canada. I would say that most of them would be in your group, as members. Is that fair to say?
Chief Executive and National President, Financial Executives International Canada
We would like to think so, yes.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I'm not sure if the chair is a member, but he should be, most certainly, if that's your position.
I did notice that in your answer to question one, you suggest balancing the budget, but qualified it by saying that it should not allow the country to “slip into a prolonged recession”. That's pretty much exactly what this government has done so far. Is that fair to say?
Chief Executive and National President, Financial Executives International Canada
I should mention that actually Minister Flaherty is an honorary member of our organization.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
That would make total sense.
But it just appears that most of your.... Are you pleased with the government's progress so far in relation to combatting this global economic turndown?
Chief Executive and National President, Financial Executives International Canada
Certainly Canada has fared far better than many of the other G-7s.
Conservative
Chief Executive and National President, Financial Executives International Canada
That would be....
I don't know how Mr. Knight would grade you—
Conservative
Chief Executive and National President, Financial Executives International Canada
—but we are concerned that there are still brackets. We are concerned that the recent forecast showed a bit of a slip from what the plan was going to be.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Nothing's perfect, but you would agree that we're doing the best as far as the G-7s—
