Evidence of meeting #139 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was jobs.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Ms. Ferreri, come to order.
Ms. Sudds, you have time for a short answer.
Liberal
Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
As I stated earlier, of course we do not, under any circumstances, want to see children exposed to any sort of violence anywhere in this country.
Conservative
Liberal
Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
As I have already said, there is a colleague leading this work. I contribute, of course, through our tables and our discussions, but—
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Are you happy with your colleague's work on this file?
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Ms. Ferreri, the minister did not interrupt your questions or anybody else's questions. Please show the same respect to the minister.
I'll now move to Mr. Collins to conclude.
Liberal
Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Minister, welcome to the committee.
Minister, when I go back to my community and speak to my constituents, some of them raise concerns about the future of the programs that you've talked about and that our committee members have highlighted today, such as the school nutrition program and $10-a-day day care. We could even extend that to other things this committee has dealt with, like the Canada disability benefit. The housing accelerator fund was in front of us too.
The Leader of the Opposition has bragged that as part of his “make Canada great again” agenda, he's going to cut social programs. I don't have a crystal ball that tells me what those programs would be, but some of those I just referenced will likely be on the chopping block. He's been very evasive when pressed in the House about how he's going to cut the budget and balance the books, as he's bragged about for the last year. I think part of his “make Canada great again” agenda is to cut social programs.
Can you highlight, maybe in a very general way, what your constituents are saying about those programs, how they've helped from an affordability perspective and how they've helped lift people out of poverty? I think you tried to answer some of those questions when pressed by the opposition, but you weren't given the opportunity, so I'll give you that opportunity now.
Liberal
Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
Thank you very much.
As you very eloquently said, we've put forward a number of measures since we came in in 2015 that have been instrumental in supporting families. I'm sure you hear this in your riding. I get to hear on a daily basis from people in my riding and people across the country about the impacts of them.
We saw when we came in in 2015 that the poverty rate was 14.5%. We have since been able to decrease the poverty rate to 10.6%. We've lifted over 600,000 Canadians out of poverty. How did we do that? It was a multi-faceted approach.
I look to things like $10-a-day child care in this province, which is saving families $8,500 for each kid each year. I look at things like the Canada child benefit, which we introduced in 2016. It's providing families, at the maximum, $7,787 each and every year. I look at things like the national school food program in Ontario, which I just mentioned. It saves families of four about $800.
Incrementally, each one of these policies has met the moment. I would fast-forward to the most recently introduced tax holiday for all Canadians. Moving forward with that over these next two months, through the holidays, the expensive winter and the holiday season, is real relief. It's meeting families where they are.
At every opportunity, each one of those programs.... As we have witnessed and heard, not only did the Conservatives not support them, but they would actively deconstruct them if given the opportunity.
Liberal
Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
I'll take the last minute, Minister, to talk about a couple of people in my riding.
Judith Bishop and Don Jaffray have been champions for $10-a-day day care. They've sent me some information that highlights that the province of Ontario has been pretty slow. Conservative governments, federal and provincial, drag their feet on most social issues, as I just referenced. If they were sitting here today, they'd ask if there is something more the government can do to create some healthy tension with the province of Ontario to move metrics, get the families the savings they deserve, build wage capacity within the sector and help people who are struggling to provide those programs in municipalities across the province and across the country.
Can you comment on that briefly in the time I have left?
Liberal
Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
Absolutely. It is fair to say that a lot of work still has to happen in Ontario.
I am encouraged. We are seeing some positive signs with respect to the province, which is now pivoting to a more sustainable way of funding child care operators starting in the new year, with a cap on fees at an average of $22.
There has been some progress, but what has been slow is the space creation. I encourage parents like those in your riding and the advocates I get to speak to on a regular basis to continue to use their voices to share the impact, which is oftentimes quite profound for families in Ontario and across the country. We want to ensure that, frankly, all levels of government, particularly in Ontario, continue to do the work to make sure that families can benefit.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Mr. Collins, and thank you, Minister.
Is it the will of the committee to adjourn?
