Mr. Speaker, I rise to participate in the debate regarding the future of Canada's social services.
I wish to congratulate the Minister of Human Resources Development for his commitment to ensure that all Canadians can participate in this consultation process. The result will be a fundamental change in our social services. The reason for this change is evident. As the Prime Minister has already said, the status quo is not an option.
It has been Liberals who have responded to previous needs for social service programs and put into place the social services that we have today. Liberal governments of the past have introduced among other programs old age pensions, unemployment insurance, the Canada pension plan and student loans.
This Liberal government now calls upon Canadians to accept the challenge to redefine priorities, to identify what is important and to create a new social policy for the next century. This challenge is not about change for the sake of change. It is the government's response to Canadians who have demanded changes in the way that our social system operates now. It is a response to a changing society. We have been asked to do this by Canadians.
The programs that exist today were created for different circumstances and under different times. The recession and restructuring felt deeply by millions of Canadians make what we are setting out to do not only urgent but fundamental for our survival as a nation.
Yesterday's solutions are not going to answer today's problems. New solutions are necessary and we are going to provide those solutions for Canadians.
The task is enormous, make no mistake. We are asking Canadians to redefine what is fundamental to many. With this reform we are going to change everything from unemployment insurance to social welfare. The task is not government's alone, however. All Canadians have been asked to participate and support this effort to provide better service.
The need for reform is evident and clear. We are taking a responsible approach to a difficult agenda. It is easy to simply cry for cuts and reductions. What lies before us is a task of nation building. We are participating in a historic opportunity to reshape our social security programs. The end result should ensure that the world will again look to Canada as a nation that cares for its own and has rebuilt its social programs to respond to our needs now.
This exercise is more than deficit reduction. Obviously we would not be experiencing this sense of urgency without the need to control our debt and deficit. More important however, we are responding to programs which no longer reflect the changing needs of a changing society. Quite evidently the status quo, as the Prime Minister has said, can no longer be accepted.
My constituents know that we are facing serious decisions. They want our government to act. They also want to participate in a process which makes them a part of the solution. They want us together to confront poverty, to ensure that our children are able to enjoy the best post-secondary education and they want to be protected from unforeseen circumstances. While they want government to provide these services, they know we no longer are able to afford the services of the past, especially services which are unable to respond to current needs.
The standard of living in Guelph-Wellington is very good. Despite a lower than average unemployment rate, we still have incidents of child poverty; there are a number of seasonal workers more affected by economic downturns than most of us; we have seniors and students who fear for their future; and the United Way and other agencies are busy with demands for their services. Guelph-Wellington like all of Canada has felt the ravages of the recession. We have individuals who relied on and continue to need the kinds of social services that we are being asked to improve.
What the people of Guelph-Wellington have always demanded from government is quality. They want their money to be well spent, they want value and they demand excellence. They want a social service network that protects those most in need, allows for flexibility, encourages growth in the human spirit and above all assists in job creation and economic renewal, for that truly is the way to success. They do not want people to be dependent but rather they encourage independence. They want to help build and encourage. They no longer want, nor will they accept the status quo.
My constituents know that many of the proposals in the green book are new and daring but they want to take the chance in order to effect change. I have discussed for example the proposals regarding income contingent repayment loans for students with the president and the students of the University of Guelph. They know there are risks in this proposal but they want the freedom to better plan their post-secondary education. They want to take a more active role in what affects them.
The University of Guelph welcomes new innovations and ideas. The people of Guelph-Wellington welcome the opportunity to effect change in post-secondary education and other programs. They want to share responsibility with this government. They want programs which will be fair and will benefit all Canadians fairly.
We must address fundamental and very real issues in the next few months. Above all we are not only talking about programs, we are addressing real people with real needs. We are talking to the seasonal worker who in his or her construction trade faces a two year waiting list for employment after they have completed a job. We are talking about the teenager in Erin, Ontario who is hoping to attend university. This reform is about the senior in Guelph and the newborn in Puslinch.
We are going to talk about new ways to help those who are struggling to make ends meet. We are going to find new ways to assist Canadians who today have no idea that they will need social assistance in the future, but because of some unfortunate circumstance they will find themselves seeking help at some point in their life.
The majority of people in my riding voted Liberal because they trust a Liberal government. They know that Liberals have in the past responded to similar difficult situations. They want reductions in government spending to be sensible and reasonable. They want a responsible approach to social service renewal and they want real consultation.
This process will result in a new and better way to provide social services. It will end the duplication of services and build on new partnerships.
The people of Guelph-Wellington no longer want to know who is to blame for the past. They want to know who to turn to for their future. They want decision making which will be for their benefit and for the benefit of all Canadians. They want to join our government in renewal. They want jobs, security and education for their children and for themselves and assistance for the unemployed. They want welfare that teaches, encourages and trains for new skills rather than a government handout that demeans and discourages. They want literacy, employment opportunity and the dignity of work that our Prime Minister is quick to always encourage. They want to participate in nation building, not division.
We are responding to the demands of our history. Last fall the Liberals asked Canadians to help create opportunity. This fall we are asking them to seize that opportunity and build a better Canada. The people of Guelph-Wellington are ready to answer that call. Together we will build a Canada that will remain the best country in the world.