Debates of Feb. 24th, 2005

The Budget

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has put his finger on something that is a major problem. When I refer to social housing, I mean all kinds of social housing, rent to income, cooperatives and so on.

He referred to the problems of the homeless in Toronto, like everywhere else in Canada, it is the same thing in the Montreal region, and pointed out the frequent connection with mental health problems and multiple drug addictions. That is self-evident. When I said that the Liberal government and its then finance minister, now the Prime Minister, blithely slashed federal transfer payments for health services, did it help the cause of homelessness? Of mental health? Of multiple drug addiction?

In Montérégie, for example, with its large population, there are two youth addictions workers. A recent Government of Quebec report states that the youth addictions problem is growing but there is no money to solve it. Why is that, do you think? I have already referred to the shortfall in the Quebec government's coffers since 1994 of $14 billion, precisely for such purposes.

In a way, my colleague has shot himself in the foot. In trying to add something on social housing, he highlighted the problems in health and the lack of funding to resolve them within the Quebec and provincial governments.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot on his passion in opposition to the Liberal budget and also on how accurately he has pointed out, with many examples, the dishonesty of the Liberal government and the dishonesty of the Prime Minister in saying one thing before an election and another thing after the election, and in saying one thing before the budget, before we see the reality of the budget.

The member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot has accurately pointed out the employment insurance program in particular, where the government has raided the fund of the insurance program for use in all the different spending programs. It has perpetuated a myth that there is somehow a pot of gold still sitting there when really there is nothing but an IOU signed by the Prime Minister and from before that when he was finance minister.

I would ask the member from the Bloc in regard to the infrastructure program that I asked the Liberals about earlier, did the member see anything that would assist the smaller communities with a limited tax base to engage in the infrastructure program? Did he see anything or hear about anything in the budget that would help?

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is not much to see in terms of rural or strategic infrastructure, because the funding methods have yet to be defined and negotiated. I have a lot of respect for my colleague. However, I would have liked for my colleague and his Conservative colleagues to join forces with us to get the government to make concessions and deliver a better budget.

Three weeks ago, the Conservatives announced they might vote against the budget, but did not think they would bring down the government. As a result, there was less pressure on Mr. Goodale to table a more favourable budget, in our view, which could have started resolving the fiscal imbalance, improving EI and setting up an independent fund.

With all due respect to the Conservatives, we would have liked them to join with us.

[Marcel Gagnon, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I listened closely to my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, who chooses his words carefully and talks about pertinent matters.

We have struggled together with an issue that is one of society's greatest injustices. For the past decade or more, seniors in need of the guaranteed income supplement to survive, have been forgotten. At least 68,000 seniors from Quebec have been denied their benefits. The government pocketed some $3.2 billion and now it must give this money back to the seniors.

I want to know whether my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot is satisfied with the standards set out in the budget, whereby increases would be provided to seniors in two years and again in five years. I would like to get my colleague's thoughts on this.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Saint-Maurice—Champlain for his excellent question.

Indeed, there is in the budget a reference to the guaranteed income supplement. As the hon. member so aptly pointed out, this increase only comes into effect at the beginning of the third year. Hang on to your seat, because this is really making fun of people. The government, which has owed billions of dollars to the elderly for a number of years, will now give them an astronomical amount every month. Indeed, these people will get a monthly increase of $38, in three years. Considering that this minority government could be defeated in six months, saying in the budget that it will give money in three years from now is not even worth the paper on which it is written. Quebec's motto is Je me souviens , and Quebeckers will indeed remember at the next election.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time.

I am pleased to rise today to address what is the first minority budget of a government in 25 years. The budget tabled in the House by the Minister of Finance, the member for Wascana, is not only historic but unfolds a bold vision for Canada in the 21st century.

In 1995 our Prime Minister in his capacity as finance minister delivered a transformative budget, which set the course for a record eight balanced budgets and an economy which is the envy of the G-7. On this sound fiscal foundation, our government has delivered yet another transformative budget.

As a newly elected member of Parliament, this is the first budget process I have witnessed and it is impressive to see the balance the finance minister has struck between tax cuts for hard-working Canadians, the creation of opportunities for small and medium sized businesses and investments in visionary social programs.

Allow me to address several budgetary items that I am certain will be of specific interest and relevance to my constituents in Etobicoke Centre.

All Canadians will benefit from tax reductions contained in budget 2005. The most significant measure is the increase in the basic personal tax exemption rate to $10,000, which is expected to remove 860,000 Canadians from the tax rolls, 240,000 of whom will be seniors. As I knocked on doors during the last election, too often I felt an unease when greeted at a door by a senior who, although smiling, was obviously having difficulty making ends meet.

I am especially encouraged by this budget because apart from removing almost one-quarter of a million seniors from the tax rolls, this budget also improves support for our seniors with an increase to the guaranteed income supplement, which will result in an additional $400 per year for a single senior and $700 per year for a couple by January 2007. Funding for the New Horizons for Seniors program is also being increased from $10 million to $25 million to promote voluntary sector activities by and for seniors.

As an entrepreneur in my pre-parliamentary life, I spent over two decades building family businesses. With several businesses in Etobicoke and a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in small and medium sized businesses, I was encouraged by the numerous measures the budget contained for small business, the backbone of the Canadian economy and the sector in which a disproportionate amount of innovation takes place.

Although all business will benefit from the elimination of the corporate surtax, small corporations will gain more proportionately. This measure will help to maintain our tax rate advantage relative to the United States. Small and medium sized businesses with incomes greater than the $300,000 small business deduction limit will also benefit from a 2% reduction in the general corporate income tax rate, from 21% to 19%.

Many entrepreneurs can go through difficult business cycles. The small business owners in my riding of Etobicoke Centre will find comfort in the increase in the RRSP annual contribution limit to $22,000 by 2010.

As well, the increase from 30% to 50% in the rate at which the capital cost allowance can be claimed for environmental technologies acquired within the next seven years will encourage switching to environmentally friendly processes and provide an incentive to small entrepreneurs for developing Kyoto-friendly technologies and equipment.

Overall, the measures I have just outlined will help our nation's small and medium sized business sector to remain productive and competitive at home and abroad.

However, this budget also heralds a new era for our social programs. Having laid the financial and economic foundations through our previous balanced budgets, we can afford to dream a new vision for ourselves and Canada in the 21st century.

With the announcement of $5 billion over five years for an early learning and child care initiative, the government is helping to advance the creation of a national child care program based on four key principles, qualitative, universal, accessible and developmental, while delivering on a commitment we made to the Canadian people last June. It was a promise made and a promise kept.

Budget 2005 provides an additional $805 million over five years in direct federal health investments. This money has been specifically earmarked for wait time initiatives, efforts to accelerate and expand the integration of foreign trained doctors, the creation of a strategy on healthy living and chronic disease, pandemic influenza preparedness and safety measures for drugs and therapeutic products.

We commissioned the Romanow report with a promise to fix our health care system. We took to heart the Romanow recommendations and exceeded them: a promise made, a promise kept.

As well, this budget focuses, not only on our health care needs and the needs of our youngest and oldest citizens, but on the communities in which we live. The Liberal government committed to provide our cities and communities with reliable and long term sources of funding. With a transfer of almost $1 billion in gas tax revenues to the greater Toronto area over the next five years and a total of $300 million for green municipal funds, my community can expect to see better roads, improvements to our public transit system and more liveable neighbourhoods.

We have also stated that this new funding will continue beyond our five year commitment so that our cities can count on revenue streams to finance major public infrastructure projects.

Tom Patterson

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that we learned of the death of former journalist and founder of the Stratford Festival, Tom Patterson, on February 23, 2005, at the age of 84.

The Stratford Festival owes its existence to the dream of this local journalist who founded the event in the 1950s.

Innumerable artists, directors and other Canadian and foreign theatre professionals have participated in its productions, enlarging the audience for the work of William Shakespeare.

Alex Guinness and Christopher Plummer are among the most notable actors who have played on the Stratford Festival's stage.

Mr. Patterson has left us the legacy of the Stratford Festival. “Without Tom Patterson, there would not be a Stratford Festival in Canada”, underscored its artistic director, Richard Monette, while highlighting the extraordinary vision of this man.

Mr. Patterson was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1967.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I want to express our appreciation and offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Marriage

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, a new Statistics Canada study adds to the research showing how important it is for children to be raised by both a mom and a dad.

Researchers found that teenagers “who reported that their relationship with their father had increased in closeness, understanding and affection over time” were less likely to have symptoms of depression. Statistics Canada reported that “these results occurred for both young men and women, regardless of household income or whether the young people lived in either single or two parent families”.

Teens were also shown to respond differently to changes in their relationship with their father in contrast to changes in their relationship with their mother. This Statistics Canada research found that changes in teens' relationship with their dad had a more significant impact on how they felt about themselves.

In the midst of the current marriage debate in this chamber, Statistics Canada has confirmed the vital importance of boys and girls having a positively involved mom and dad.

As parliamentarians, we have an obligation to take this latest scientific evidence into account and, based on it, should oppose Bill C-38 and affirm time honoured traditional marriage.

Health

[Michael John Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's historic budget confirms the largest investment in our health care system in the history of our country, some $41 billion. This commitment will reduce wait time, provide home care and provide much needed support for the provinces.

Today, members of the Canadian Medical Association, central partners in our health care system, are here meeting parliamentarians on health related issues and, in particular, tobacco use.

The CMA issued its first public warning on the hazards of tobacco in 1954. Each year, tobacco kills 47,000 Canadians.

The health of Canadians is the reason that governments support the promotion of healthy living and, at the same time, use public dollars for the best interests of Canadians.

Today, I urge the Government of Canada and its partnering provinces to take the necessary decisions to restrict the Canadian Pension Investment Board from investing in tobacco companies and to divest of any tobacco stocks currently held.

I congratulate the CMA for its leadership and Canadian doctors for their commitment to the well-being of all Canadians.

Employment Insurance

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in his budget speech, the Minister of Finance turned a deaf ear to the heartfelt cries of the hundreds of thousands of unemployed.

The Liberal government had the means to meet their needs, but chose to ignore the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, which had called for a substantial improvement of employment insurance.

This government said no to creating an independent EI fund, so that it could continue to blithely siphon off funds to which it does not contribute one red cent.

To claim the needs of the unemployed have been met, as the Liberal government is doing, is a direct blow to the intelligence of the women and men who are out of work through no fault of their own.

The needs are known, the money is there, but the government has put military spending over social solidarity.

Veterans

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know more about their heroes. I am speaking of those men and women who served our country during times of war.

I am pleased that budget 2005 provides new funding of $6 million per year for future commemorative activities so that more Canadians, in particular younger Canadians, can learn of the achievements and sacrifices of Canada's veterans.

This is in addition to the $16.5 million announced last year to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war and to celebrate the Year of the Veteran.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who fought for Canada and this budget helps us to accomplish that lofty goal.

Ukrainian Canadians

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on February 22, the Liberal government intervened to have Bill C-331, the Ukrainian Canadian recognition and restitution bill, struck from the order paper.

The Liberals questioned the judgment of the Chair on the issue of restitution, despite an earlier reading.

I was proud to second the bill tabled by the member for Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette.

Canada's Ukrainian community has waited 20 years for redress. What is the Liberal government afraid of? Are they afraid of acknowledging Canada's past history and the injustices done to those interned during the first world war?

Bill C-331 belongs to the one million Canadians of Ukrainian descent. They expect the House to have the courage to debate it.

Guaranteed Income Supplement

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the government for fast tracking its commitment to increase the guaranteed income supplement, GIS, for low income seniors. Budget 2005 will raise the total payment by $2.7 billion over five years extending the government's earlier commitment of $1.5 billion. This means that monthly benefits for single seniors will rise by $36 and for couples, $58.

One million, six hundred thousand GIS recipients will benefit from the increase which is being phased in over two years rather than five. Since women account for over one million of the seniors receiving GIS, this is indeed a good news story.

It is also rewarding to have the Minister of Finance recognize the leadership of the women's caucus on this issue.

The Budget

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly adopted a progressive and modern policy adapted to the needs of young Quebec families. However, for more than eight years, these families have been waiting for the federal government to transfer the funds the Quebec government needs to implement its parental leave program.

This government found the means to eliminate clawbacks of equalization overpayments for Saskatchewan. This same government found the means to give billions of dollars to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, by excluding oil and gas royalties from equalization calculations. However, it is unable to find $275 million to enable the Quebec government to implement its parental leave program, which meets the needs of young Quebec families.

The family is a safe harbour and a place of fundamental development for a child. The Liberal government must stop denying this reality through its budget choices.

Seniors

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the government for increasing funding to the New Horizons for Seniors program from $10 million yearly to $25 million yearly by the year 2007.

This program promotes our seniors' continued involvement in their community by keeping them active and socially engaged. The projects, which are funded, harness their skills and experience to benefit other seniors and vulnerable groups.

The Liberal government is aware of the great debt we owe our seniors. They survived the Depression, they went to war to fight for our freedom and they built the Canada of today.

Now it is our turn to be there for our seniors.

Canada Post

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in Kamloops, as in Saint John, a post office is slated for closure on March 4. The reaction of the residents is the same. There have been rallies and letter writing campaigns to keep postal station A open.

Upon notification of this closure, I immediately met with a representative of Canada Post to raise the objections of my constituents. I was told that the decision had been made and that it was a done deal.

I wrote a letter to the president and acting CEO but there was no reply.

The decision to close this outlet was made with no consultation or regard for the area residents who have used postal station A for 35 years, many of them seniors, the very people who still write letters to family and friends. No consideration was given to the inconvenience to the many businesses affected by this closure.

Brand and image have replaced service and community commitment at Canada Post Corporation.

I join my colleague from Saint John in asking the minister responsible to show leadership on this file and demand that postal station A in Kamloops be kept open.

The Budget

[Françoise Boivin, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal women's caucus, which I chair, is pleased and proud that a number of the policies on which we have been working tirelessly have been included and recognized in the 2005 budget.

I shall point out a few: a faster increase in guaranteed income supplement benefits for low-income seniors; establishment of anew national seniors’ secretariat; a doubling of the amount caregivers can claim for medical and disability-related expenses; $5 billion for the early learning and child care initiative; justice initiatives that will make our communities safer; significant investments in the environment; an additional $850 million in health; $735 million for aboriginal families; the basic personal exemption raised to $10,000 removing more than 860,000 taxpayers from the tax rolls, including 240,000 seniors, most of whom are women.

The 2005 budget is good news for all the women of Quebec and all the women of Canada—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Ottawa Centre.

[Ed Broadbent, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the last election on television screens across the country the Prime Minister warned Canadians about Conservative values. He said, “That's why this election is so important. It's about the values we bring”. Paul Martin said he shared NDP values. Now in their first budget the Liberals have betrayed the people of Canada by--

[The Speaker]

Order. The hon. member for Ottawa Centre is an experienced member and knows he cannot refer to other members by their names. I almost had heart failure when the Deputy Prime Minister did it yesterday. The hon. member for Ottawa Centre knows that he would have to refer to perhaps the Prime Minister, unless he was talking about some other person by the same name.

[Ed Broadbent, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I thank you for your assistance, Mr. Speaker.

In their first budget the Liberals have betrayed the people of Canada by producing a budget only Conservatives can love. They have cut corporate taxes by a whopping $4.6 billion. At the same time, the budget does nothing for poor children, nothing for housing, nothing for farmers and nothing for students.

This hypocritical budget will not be supported by the NDP.

Tom Patterson

[Gary Schellenberger, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Tom Patterson, the founder of the Stratford Festival. Tom Patterson passed away Wednesday, but he will be remembered with great fondness.

Without Tom Patterson, Stratford and area, Canada, and indeed the entire global community of actors, writers and fans of theatre would suffer a tremendous void. Half a century ago Tom Patterson had an idea and a passion. He had a vision for a festival to be located in Stratford, Ontario, Canada that would be among the world's great stages for Shakespearean theatre. Today, thanks to years of hard work and determination, the Stratford Festival is just that. The accomplishment is extraordinary.

I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say we owe a great deal to Tom Patterson and very much appreciate his enduring legacy, the Stratford Festival of Canada.

The Budget

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government brought in a budget that once again isolates Quebec within Canada. With an unusual degree of transparency, the government has continued its Canadian nation building project, with no regard for Quebec's values and its distinct nature.

Quebeckers were expecting the Prime Minister to increase its share of equalization and loosen the financial stranglehold on Quebec and the provinces, which he himself orchestrated when he was finance minister.

But that did not happen. Despite the fact that he is awash in surpluses of our money, he has once again denied the existence of the fiscal imbalance and has not considered it important to support Quebec and the provinces in their efforts to meet their pressing needs in health care, education and income security.

By his budget choices and more clearly than ever, the Prime Minister of Canada has just told Quebeckers that Quebec will never reach its full potential until it achieves complete sovereignty.

Pope John Paul II

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in a world of turmoil, uncertainty and rapid change, Christians around the world have relied on the progressive hands-on leadership of His Holiness Pope John Paul II. His approach to the papacy has been dynamic and has made him instantly recognizable around the world.

As the voice of the church on contemporary issues like peace, ethics and the dignity of life, the Pope has provided a moral compass to those lost in a sea of conflicting messages. Unafraid to tackle the important issues of today, Pope John Paul II in an address to Canada's ambassador to the Holy See noted that attempts to redefine marriage to include homosexual couples “contradict right reason” and create “a false understanding of the nature of marriage”.

His support for the traditional definition of family and the sanctity of life serves as an example for all religions, Christian and non-Christian alike. The witness of a truly committed Catholic is a wondrous thing.

I join with all of Christendom in praying for a speedy recovery for His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

The Budget

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the government and the Minister of Finance for the budget that was released yesterday. The budget provided a balanced approach, but more importantly it delivered on key promises that were made by the government. The budget made sound investments in health care, our cities, children, protecting our environment, and seniors.

This budget will go a long way in helping the residents of Mississauga—Brampton South, specifically the seniors. I am pleased to see that there will be an increase of $2.7 billion to the guaranteed income supplement for low income seniors. On top of that, the $41 billion health care plan signed last September will also benefit the constituents and more importantly, the seniors in my riding.

Aside from seniors, the cities of Brampton and Mississauga will benefit from the $7 billion GST rebate, the gas tax transfer of $5 billion and the green funds. All of these items will help improve the roads, transit systems and infrastructure.

It is safe to say that the government has delivered on its budget. It gives me and my colleagues great pleasure--