Minister, you have not tabled a bill. Neither the Minister of Labour nor the Minister of International Trade has done so. Your government has not tabled a bill. Canadians have no idea if they're purchasing goods made with forced labour. The United States has an entities list. You could copy that list and cut down on the number of products made with forced labour in this country in a second. You haven't done it. The standard in the United States is that companies have to prove that their goods are not made with forced labour. Okay? That makes it very difficult for those things to come in.

Your government set the standard in Canada that CBSA has to prove the goods were made with forced labour, which is why nothing gets seized. Why would you set the threshold to make it impossible for goods to be seized, and so goods made by forced labour then end up in our supply chains?

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

As you know, this government has consulted heavily and has already passed a bill, and is—

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

It's not a government bill. That's not true.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

I'm sorry, but it's the law of Canada now, Mr. Seeback. I don't know—

November 19th, 2024 / 11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

It created a website.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

I don't know if you're aware, but we have this law. It's Bill S-211. The government is continuing to work on enhancements and improvements to that, but your party stands up every day—

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

It's tough action that Uyghurs will appreciate.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

—and filibusters Parliament so that we cannot get—

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

There's no bill that you're talking about. There's no bill.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

It's very hard to take you seriously when you won't allow the government to present bills that Canadians are asking for.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Mr. Minister and Mr. Seeback, your time is over.

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

You don't have a bill on this. It's all theatre.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Mr. Seeback.

Mr. Collins, you have five minutes, or whatever's left.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON

After that exchange, I'm almost tempted to cede my time to Mr. Seeback, Minister.

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

I'll take it.

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON

Minister, part of the “make Canada great again” agenda is to fix the budget. You've seen the bumper stickers out there. As we know, I think a big part of that is going to be cuts to social programs.

You listed in your opening statement many of the programs our government has implemented to help seniors. Many of the affordable housing programs we have, which are a first in 30 years, go a long way to getting seniors off the affordable housing wait-lists in many communities across the country. You talked about reinstating the age of retirement from 67 to 65; of course, the Leader of the Opposition was a part of that process in cutting support for seniors. Then you talked about the dental plan that's gone a long way to assist seniors with improvements in that area.

The Leader of the Opposition hasn't been very clear about what social programs he would cut if he were to become Prime Minister, but I think we have a sneaking suspicion of what that list would include, that it would probably include almost everything you rhymed off at the beginning of the meeting.

Can you talk about what a Conservative government would do to the programs that we've implemented not just for seniors but for Canadian taxpayers across the country?

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

I think Canadians, especially Canadian seniors, have a right to fear the worst. I can only base this on what they've just done in their proposal for housing. They proposed to withdraw all federal supports for housing in this country. It's hard to listen to Conservatives talk about housing when they propose to take the means for the government to address the housing issue away from the government. Indeed, Mr. Collins, I think Canadian seniors have a right to be worried.

Here's a list of things they voted against that seniors have come to count on in this country.

We reversed the age of eligibility for OAS—from 67 back to 65. You will remember that Mr. Harper went to the Davos World Economic Forum and talked with the folks in Switzerland about how he would adjust and cut pensions for seniors. He did not choose to do that in Canada. We thought that was wrong. We reversed it. We increased OAS by 10% for those who are age 75 plus. Conservatives voted against that. I think Canadian seniors have a right to assume that OAS enhancements will be coming back by 10%.

GIS increased by $1,000 a year, decreasing seniors' poverty, as I outlined earlier. We increased the GIS earning exemption by over 40%, allowing seniors to earn a bit of extra money if they wish without being penalized on the benefits they receive. Conservatives voted against that, and seniors have a right to assume this would be taken away from them.

We improved the Canada Pension Plan for future retirees. Conservatives call that a tax. I call it investing. When I make a pension contribution, I call it investing and saving for my future. One is allowed to assume they're going to take that away.

We invested $90 million through the “age well at home” initiative. Conservatives voted against that.

There was $70 million for New Horizons. Conservatives voted against that.

You know, of course, that the single largest expansion of Medicare in the history of the program is the Canadian dental program. This is going to help low-income seniors today. Conservatives and the Bloc both voted against that. Shame on them.

I think Canadians have a right to be worried that all of those things would be taken away, if only because Conservatives opposed their implementation.