Evidence of meeting #141 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 cmhc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
I didn't interrupt anyone on the other side but, to be honest, I was tempted to.
Minister, they voted against the resources that will give people the benefit that our government created. They also voted against all the housing benefits and, as you know, the national housing strategy includes, as one of the vulnerable populations, seniors and people with disabilities. At every opportunity they had to support people with disabilities, they voted against it, so it really is hard to hear questions like we've heard again today.
What makes it also difficult to stomach is that the Leader of the Opposition was in Hamilton not too long ago, as part of his “make Canada great again” tour. He has these nonsensical tag lines that he uses, the bumper-sticker solutions. He talks about fixing the budget. I think both you and I know what fixing the budget means. It'll mean cuts to social programs and to the programs that are helping people with disabilities. It will mean the end of the Canada disability benefit, cuts to health care and cuts to the housing programs that we provide—all of those resources and the initiatives that I just talked about.
That “make Canada great again” agenda will threaten, I think, many of the benefits that seniors and people with disabilities rely on today to get them through some very challenging times. Can I get your thoughts on those issues? When you hear those nonsensical questions from the other side of the table, what goes through your mind?
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Thank you for that question. Exactly what you said is what goes through my mind, and that's why I find it very ironic and, quite frankly, just hypocritical for them to talk about supporting Canadians.
You're right. Their so-called slogan of fixing the budget, we know what it means. We saw it every step of the way. They say they'd “axe the tax” when they had an opportunity. We have a GST tax cut that we put forward. They voted against that. There was a middle-class tax cut, and they voted against that. The Canada child benefit, which is lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, they voted against that.
To talk about seniors' pensions, the leader was in the party when they went to Davos. Harper went to Davos and announced that he was going to raise the age of retirement to 67 from 65. We reversed that. We enhanced the guaranteed income supplement; they voted against that. We increased the old age security pension by 10% permanently for seniors aged 75 plus; they voted against that.
On the dental care plan, I saw the Leader of the Opposition laugh in the House of Commons and say that dental care doesn't exist. Tell that to the people in our communities, persons with disabilities whom I met, who said that, for the first time, they went to the dentist because of the supports we put forward. They voted against that. They simply think it doesn't exist; however, 1.2 million people have accessed it.
You talked about pharmacare; they voted against that. Every step of the way we have put forward.... There's $6.1 billion for the Canada disability benefit. They talk about how we're not doing enough. The Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, was actually responsible for ESDC when he was a minister. He left money for disability supports because they wanted to fix the budget and balance the books. They left that money rather than spending that on the most vulnerable in our communities.
To your point about the rhetoric that we hear from the other side, it's just ridiculous because we know that, every step of the way, they voted against measures we put forward to support Canadians. That's the work that we need to do: to constantly fight against the rhetoric that's coming from the other side. They're not in it for anyone. They're in it for only themselves.
I'm surprised they're even allowed to ask questions, if they don't follow the parroting of the same agenda that their leader puts forward. You know this, as an incredible housing advocate. You've seen that, at any chance they had, they were writing messages and sending letters of support to my colleague the housing minister about the housing accelerator fund in their communities. However, their leader told them, “You can't do that anymore.” They can't advocate for their own constituents. That's the kind of party you're dealing with in the Conservative Party of Canada. It's quite shameful that they pretend they care about Canadians but, at every step of the way, they vote against them.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you.
Ms. Chabot, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
What eloquence, Mr. Chair!
The discussion seems to have turned into question period, but I would like to come back to accessibility, Minister.
Thousands of people work to ensure accessibility to everyone in Canada and Quebec, in every region. They deliver their mail, their goods and their parcels. Those workers have been on strike for 26 days. They are calling for terms of employment that will adhere to a model that is to be reviewed. However, that has to be done with the workers and recognize what they do best and do well: ensure that our constituents have access to their goods, their mail, and their letters.
Do you support the postal workers, Minister?
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Of course, we support the postal workers. I know there's an ongoing strike right now. My colleague Minister MacKinnon is working extremely hard to try to bring both parties together to ensure that it can end.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Minister, since my own background is in labour relations, I am simply going to tell you that a special mediator in the Canada Post case left the bargaining table two weeks ago. It is really quite rare for a mediator to do that. Their role under the Canada Labour Code is actually to try to bring the parties together despite the difficulties.
Do you have any comments on that?
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
This is the work that my colleague Minister MacKinnon is leading.
Even in my own community, people want.... We always say the best deals are made at the table. That's where we hope both parties can come up with and agree to solutions for workers and ensure that we can get the strike over so that Canadians.... There are people in some of the most rural and remote areas who really need medication or someone needs.... Of course, the holiday season is coming up as well.
I think the best deals are made at the table. I know my ministerial colleague Minister MacKinnon is working really hard to ensure that they can come to the table together.
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
In closing, I would like to say that the workers are quite rightly asking your government to intervene with the employer, Canada Post, to have it make every effort to reach a negotiated contract.
Will they have your support?
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
This is something my colleague Minister MacKinnon is leading, and the best deals are always made at the table.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Ms. Chabot.
Ms. Zarrillo, you have two and a half minutes.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I want to echo what my colleague MP Collins said about the Conservative government not funding the Canada disability benefit. That's definitely true, and it doesn't help to have legislation that isn't funded.
Minister, during committee, we heard from organizations and individuals who are being asked to consult on the accessibility plans in the public and private realms for free in relation to accessibility act compliance. Again, this speaks to a culture where persons with disabilities are being disrespected and devalued.
Why has the government not put forward regulations to ensure that the expertise they hold is fairly compensated and not expected to be given for free?
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Yes.
At committee, we heard from people and organizations that they're being asked by the private and public sectors to consult on accessibility plans, and they're not being compensated for it. This is a cultural thing that basically says persons with disabilities should give their knowledge, skills and abilities for free.
What I'm asking is why the government has not put forward regulations to ensure the expertise persons with disabilities hold is fairly compensated and that they not be expected to consult on these accessibility plans for free.
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.
One of the fundamental things is the fact that, when we passed the Accessible Canada Act, it was really about changing.... I think you and I agree on this fact. The foundation of the act is really changing systemically the behaviours and actions of not just governments but society, when you look at disability inclusion in this country. It's really about removing those barriers.
I'll take your question, and I'm happy to take it back and come back to you with the answer.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
That would be great because what these organizations or people are saying is that these plans, these accessibility plans, need to happen but that folks are not being compensated for them. There should be an avenue where there's accountability so that those accessibility plans happen and those with the expertise to build them are compensated.
Thank you.
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Yes, thank you for that
Again, as I mentioned, some of the compliance work is led through the accessibility commissioner, and I will absolutely take that back to them to see what more we can do to support some of the incredible organizations and stakeholders that are a part of helping entities build their accessibility plans, not just in the public sector but also in the private sector.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Your time is exhausted, Ms. Zarrillo.
I will go to the Conservative side for two and a half minutes, and then to the government side for two and a half minutes. Then we will conclude.
Mr. Stewart, you have two and a half minutes.
Conservative
Don Stewart Conservative Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
I just want to circle back. I have two quick questions.
The first one circles back to the anti-Semitic chants that we heard in the streets in Montreal, in Toronto and in other places as well—for example, “From Palestine to Lebanon, Israel will soon be gone” and “There's only one solution: intifada, revolution”.
Do you specifically condemn these chants?
Liberal
Conservative
Don Stewart Conservative Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
I would like to know if you condemn these chants specifically.
