House of Commons Hansard #89 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was home.

Topics

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 106Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

With regard to funding applications submitted to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, for each fiscal year from 2006-2007 to 2008-2009: (a) which projects were submitted under each Agency program; (b) which project were approved; (c) what amount was allocated to each of these projects; and (d) which projects were not processed?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 183Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

What is the total amount of government funding, since fiscal year 2004-2005 up to and including the current fiscal year, allocated within the constituency of Windsor—Tecumseh, listing each department or agency, initiative, and amount?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-51, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on January 27, 2009 and to implement other measures, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Before question period started, the hon. member for Markham—Unionville had just started the question and comment period, so he has eight minutes left for questions and comments.

The hon. member for Drummond has the floor.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:10 p.m.

Bloc

Roger Pomerleau Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the speech by my colleague from Markham—Unionville before question period. He pointed out fundamental flaws in the measures proposed by the Conservatives with regard to the current economic crisis.

For example, he noted that when the Conservatives tabled their first budget, they announced cuts in government spending, when massive investments were needed because of the crisis. It makes sense. Without the threat of a Liberal-NDP coalition, supported by the Bloc, there would have been no backtracking on the part of the government and we would probably have nothing in place today to face the crisis.

He also reminded us that when it comes to infrastructure programs, the government has developed the practice of announcing figures that are never correct. In reality, about 12% of the funding announced has been invested. I found on the Internet a list announcing five projects for my riding of Drummond. But I do not see anything happening right now in Drummond, so the figure for my riding is a lot closer to 0% than 12%. Moreover, when it comes to job creation, the government throws around figures that have no real basis. This is a fundamental flaw.

I understand why my colleague has lost confidence in this government and why he is voting against its measures. We are doing exactly the same thing as the Liberal Party and are saying no to the Conservative government for its performance as a whole.

However, we are talking today about a measure that will give effect to the government's proposed investments in renovation, and that seems good to us.

Can my colleague tell me why he is voting against this particular measure?

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with all that my colleague from the Bloc Québécois said before putting his question.

To answer his question, we will be voting against this bill because we have no confidence in this government.

However, the Leader of the Opposition has said repeatedly that we would fully honour the home renovation tax credit program.

Canadians can therefore rest assured that they will receive their credits, regardless of who is in government.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member for Markham—Unionville as he spoke at length and often used the word “dishonest”. I do not like to make statements using strong words like that. I am loathe to do that even though they are quite often used.

He went on to say that Canada's system and government are second class and Mr. Obama's is first class. I do not think it is second class when our government puts on websites the exact number of projects that are going ahead and the ones actually in the ground.

He talks about taxes. What is dishonest is when a person tries to portray this government's record as something else when the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and our own world-class financial institutions say that we have done many of the right things, that we are on the road to recovery, that our taxes will soon be the lowest in the G8 with the reduction of the GST, pension splitting for seniors and the guaranteed income supplement not being affected. When we took office, the GIS was $500 and it has gone to $3,500.

Was Mayor Frank Scarpitti wrong when he said, “I want to applaud this government for making budget 2009 so comprehensive when it comes to job creation” and “I think it's great news for Markham. The federal government has come forward with an ambitious stimulus package”. That was in the Georgina Advocate on January 31 of this year.

Again, the same mayor said, “Congratulations to you and your government for budget 2009. Your government stimulus funding comes at an opportune time for us”. He said that in a letter to the finance minister.

When his own mayor is saying those good things about us, how can he contradict him?

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, that seemed more like a stream of consciousness than a question. The member does not like the term “dishonest”, so he can use whatever term he wishes.

However, what adjective would he apply to a government that says it will not increase taxes to balance the books, but has a massive increase in EI premiums? What adjective would he apply to a government that says that it will not tax income trusts and then does precisely the opposite? What adjective would he apply to a government that raises the lowest income tax rate, as it did in 2006, while claiming that it actually cut it? He can choose his own adjective. I would suggest that is not the height of honesty.

In terms of the mayor of Markham, while the government has such a punitive, vindictive attitude to any mayor who says anything bad, I think the mayor of Markham is wishing to protect such contributions that he may one day receive from the government.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:15 p.m.

NDP

Jim Maloway NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, does the member realize that by causing an election, we would be starting the whole legislative process over again? In fact, we would end up freezing the flow of funds to the projects that we all want to see take place in the country.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, the member might want to check his facts before he stands. What he says is entirely false. The legislation has been passed, the authorities exist and so the infrastructure funds could keep flowing whether there were an election or not.

That is not the problem. The problem is the government simply does not have its act together and, as a consequence, has only flowed some 12% of the money in terms of actually creating or saving jobs.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:15 p.m.

Bloc

Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-51, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on January 27, 2009 and to implement other measures.

The hon. member for Markham—Unionville answered a question by my colleague from Drummond who wanted to know whether he supported this bill or not. His answer was no, because the Liberals have no confidence in the government. They do, however, intend to implement the measures contained in that bill once they are “in government”.

We in the Bloc Québécois, who voted for the ways and means motion on the same matters, which no more than Bill C-51 contained a poison pill, will be voting in favour of this bill.

We maintain that the aspects affecting the people of Canada and Quebec are very important for our constituents, whose needs and aspirations we have been monitoring on an ongoing basis, but even more actively during the campaign before the election one year ago already, on October 14.

We are capable of rising in support of things we had sought previously for the people of Quebec and which can certainly benefit the people of Canada as well.

Bill C-51 implements the home renovation tax credit. I should point out that this measure was inspired by the proposals made in the Bloc's two recovery plans. The first plan was presented around November 24, 2008, and the second around April 30, 2009.

I remember as though it were yesterday when the Minister of Finance was very appreciative that the Bloc Québécois was the only party to make proposals for the budget the government was preparing. He said something very similar when the budget was introduced. In the same sentence, or at least very close, he said that the Bloc Québécois was the only responsible party. Those may not have been his exact words, but that is what he meant: a responsible party that had submitted budget proposals with some very important points.

At the same time, he told us that he promised he would take them into account. The Bloc Québécois is a party that accepts its responsibility for the mandate it has been given by the people of Quebec. It is committed to the interests of Quebec, and submitted proposals that further the needs and aspirations of Quebec. If I may say candidly, he quite simply told us that they would take them into account, but the budget had already been tabled at that point.

In Bill C-51, the second point introduces a first time homebuyers' tax credit, a measure inspired by the Bloc's last platform. This is yet more proof that the Bloc made good proposals, always based on the needs and aspirations of Quebec, which I will repeat over and over.

It needs to be said, because Quebeckers want the Bloc Québécois to defend their interests and to promote Quebec sovereignty. We know that a lot of things can be accomplished through the sovereignty of Quebec, that is, the political freedom of Quebec.

Bill C-51 will also implement Canada's international commitments to the IMF, which were signed in 2008. It will also amend the Canada Pension Plan, from which Quebec is excluded, based on consultations with the provinces involved. It will also act on the findings of a joint expert panel made up of representatives of Nova Scotia and the federal government to resolve litigation between the parties that has been outstanding since 1984. The first two of these provisions affect Quebeckers more directly. That is why the Bloc Québécois is in favour of this bill.

We agree with these two provisions, but I must emphasize that our support for the measures in this bill does not mean that we have confidence in the government. Clearly, we do not. Once again yesterday, we rose to express our lack of confidence in this government. The federal government's comprehensive plan to fight the recession is not good enough. It is also poorly targeted. That is why we oppose it.

However, because Quebec does not object to the measures in Bill C-51, we, the Bloc Québécois, will remain true to our values and do the responsible thing and support this bill. We are always working to advance Quebec's interests. The measures in this bill may be a step forward, but the Conservative government still does not have an environmental plan with a 21st century vision, and its record on economic issues is terrible.

Now that I have covered the two most important measures in this bill, I would like to talk about the government's disastrous record on economic issues and the Bloc Québécois' recommendations for dealing with the crisis. I would also like to discuss the Bloc Québécois' green strategy and the federal government's bad faith and deplorable attitude when it comes to this issue.

Let us begin with the home renovation tax credit. In April 2008, during the presentation of the first phase of the stimulus package, the Bloc Québécois proposed implementing a home renovation tax credit for converting oil furnaces to energy efficient models. We felt that such a measure, in addition to reducing our dependence on oil, would help inject money into the economy quickly.

Although the Conservatives' measure does not target energy retrofits, it is nonetheless an effective way to stimulate the economy quickly. That is why we support this measure. Nevertheless, we still feel that the government lacked vision in introducing this tax credit. It could have gone much further and presented a real environmental plan that would have stimulated the economy while reducing greenhouse gases and decreasing our dependence on oil.

It is imperative. We know more and more—not only because we hear it so much, but also because we are experiencing it and seeing it every day—that the economy and the environment are inseparable and that we have to put as much energy into the one as the other.

In our 2008 election platform, we also proposed a tax credit for first time homebuyers. Although the measure introduced by the Conservatives is less generous than the one proposed by the Bloc Québécois, we feel it is a step in the right direction. That is another reason we are supporting this measure.

Buying a home is big step for many families. It allows the homeowner to build equity and benefit from the appreciated value of their home. Quebec is significantly behind the rest of Canada in that area. I do not want to focus on strictly economic aspects, but in terms of family life, it is very important to own a home in order to have a life that is not necessarily more comfortable, but has all the elements to be more pleasant. There is nothing like being at home with your children for living life to the fullest. Owning a home is very important and many families, unfortunately, often have a hard time saving for a down payment to purchase their first home.

In addition, since most people who are active in the workforce see their income increase over time, they often have to wait a while before they can purchase a property, so they end up in the rental market for many years. We in the Bloc Québécois are aware of this problem and planned—in fact, we still plan to—bring forward a program to make it easier for first time homebuyers. That is why we are proposing that the government give interest free loans for up to $10,000 for first time homebuyers. If this measure is introduced, it will complement the tax credit proposed by the Conservatives and will make it easier for people to buy their first home. However, the Bloc Québécois will continue to press the federal government to offer a comprehensive first time homebuyers' plan.

In light of these two elements, we support the bill, but of course we still have some criticisms of it. A good, self-respecting Conservative government must always make a few missteps that arouse criticism, and people need to hear about them.

While denying the economic crisis during the last election campaign, the Conservatives came in empty-handed at the time of the economic statement last November. When pressured to introduce a stimulus package, the Conservatives preferred instead to propose measures meant to reinforce an ideology rather than stimulate the economy. The Bloc Québécois, however, brought forward responsible proposals for economic recovery. Let me remind the House. The Bloc Québécois' recovery plan had four objectives: tighten the social safety net and restore confidence; stimulate employment and investment; support Quebec and the provinces; and stimulate strategic spending and reduce oil dependency.

The OECD suggested that countries with the means to do so should provide income support for workers who lose their jobs, and the best way to do that is through the employment insurance system. We therefore proposed that the system be thoroughly improved in order to facilitate access for everyone who loses their jobs. We estimated that, with these changes, 148,000 more people would have access every year. Furthermore, with the elimination of the waiting period, cheques could have been sent in under 14 days.

I would like to elaborate on this point. Rather than abolishing the waiting period, the Conservative government added five weeks at the end. Five weeks at the end is not the same as two weeks at the beginning. According to the Conservatives, two weeks at the beginning could create huge problems. The approach that the Conservatives have always preferred and continue to embrace is to launch programs and what they call improvements knowing very well that they will probably not be used very much, if at all. Most people never get to those last five weeks. Once again, they have missed the mark. Immediate assistance for workers who lose their jobs has never been and is still not in place.That continues to be one of the Bloc Québécois' demands.

We also proposed to help the most vulnerable with investments of $6 billion, starting with seniors, by increasing the guaranteed income supplement by $110 per month. For middle-class families, we proposed to double the GST tax credit for 2009.

We also proposed a series of measures to support and stimulate employment and investment. Furthermore, we proposed investments to help Quebec and the provinces maintain essential services to the public. It is never a good idea to make cuts, but this is the worst time to cut Quebec's funding. And yet, that is what the Conservatives are doing by tinkering with the equalization formula to favour Ontario and by adding even more inequities, such as refusing to compensate Quebec for the harmonization of sales taxes.

We asked that education transfers be restored to their 1994 levels both to stimulate the economy and to help Quebec and the provinces prepare for the future.

Finally, we proposed strategic investments to reduce both our dependence on oil and our greenhouse gas emissions. The Conservatives, with the support of the Liberals, on the contrary, have abandoned Quebec industries and workers in favour of those in Ontario and the West.

The federal government's bias in favour of Ontario and its auto industry is striking, as evidenced in the third progress report on the action plan. Whereas 100% of the $9.7 billion in direct federal spending for the auto industry have been spent, only 80% of the $70 billion for the development of new markets for the forest industry have been spent. In total, the government will have used only $2.1 billion from Vote 35 concurred in last spring. Yet the June report already indicated $1.85 billion in spending through this vote, which means that the government has spent only $250 million more through this vote since the last report.

I believe it is important to go back to a key point. A crisis requires quick and immediate action, particularly when jobs are lost. I may be repeating myself, but something has to be done to fix our employment insurance system. The Liberals gutted the system and the Conservatives followed in their footsteps. It is exactly because of all those things that we have no confidence in this government.

With regard to EI, what needs to be done is to reduce the eligibility threshold to 360 hours for everybody, to eliminate the waiting period, to increase benefits from 55% to 60% of earnings, to increase insurable earnings to $42,500 and to base the benefit calculation on the best 12 weeks.

Even if we support this bill, we still have no confidence in this government.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of the member from the Bloc. I am a little confused about his lack of understanding of what we have been trying to do in the economic stimulus package. Surely he must know that this is the most massive stimulus package in political history. We need it to get through these very difficult challenges coming to us from a global point of view.

As the member for Markham—Unionville pointed out earlier, Canada was the last one into the recession. It is because of the way this government has been run by our current Prime Minister and the ministers. They have been watching the financial companies. The banks have been in good shape. Canada is going to be the first one out of this economic challenge because of they way we have handled it.

We have made some significant changes to the EI program. We have made five week extensions for workers who are collecting EI. We have had a one year extension to the work plan. We are now introducing extensions, again based on the tenure people have had with their employer, which will benefit employees all across the country. It will mean that tens of thousands of people will get assistance they would not have received before.

These are all new measures that are being introduced by this Conservative government that were never dreamed of by the previous Liberals. We would appreciate if the members opposite would recognize that.

As far as the stimulus package, one has to understand that this government does not give out money in brown paper bags and cash like the Liberals did. There is a lot of due diligence by the federal and provincial governments and the municipalities' regional districts that goes into distributing these funds . That all has to be done. It is being done, and the money is flowing in amounts that will look after the challenges of the current global economic problems we have.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:40 p.m.

Bloc

Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, not only does the Bloc Québécois not have confidence in this government, but it does not have confidence in the government's economic forecasts.

As recently as a year ago, the economic crisis did not even exist as far as the Conservatives were concerned, and they said they would not run a deficit. Today, the deficit is $56 billion or $57 billion. What is strange is that this is roughly the same amount of money that was stolen from the employment insurance fund. This year's deficit did not go toward EI to really help workers. In fact, I do not believe the government has helped the unemployed.

The Minister of National Revenue says that employment insurance programs must have a beginning, a middle and an end. With his additional five weeks of benefits, it would seem that the minister started at the end. He should have started at the beginning. He cannot even follow his own logic.

All I can say is that he had a beginning a few years ago, he has more than past the middle and he is now approaching his end. The future former Minister of National Revenue and future former member will understand that the necessary work on employment insurance has not been done and that people still have huge problems.

It is clear that the new employment insurance program, with additional weeks of benefits, was designed for people who are lucky enough to keep the same job for a very long time, but that it represents a trap for the NDP, because it targets Ontario specifically and does nothing to help forestry workers in Quebec.

We therefore do not have confidence in this government or its policies. This government needs to be a bit more open to Quebec, practise open federalism and listen a bit more to what the opposition is saying. It is acting like a majority government, when it knows it is not. Moreover, it knows full well how that sort of behaviour affects support for this government in Quebec, because almost no one there has confidence in the government anymore.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Jim Maloway NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, clearly the government was woefully unprepared for what happened last fall. The Conservatives went through the election basically running a campaign based on the land being strong, similar to Trudeau in 1972. When the markets fell during the campaign, the Prime Minister said it was a buying opportunity. He was not even aware of what was actually happening in the economy.

In fact it was the opposition parties that forced the government to take action. The government never would have brought in the stimulus package on its own. Who would believe that for a moment? We have had to drag the government through the various processes it has gone through to get where it is right now.

I do not understand how the member can all of a sudden have this new-found knowledge when these people were in the dark through this whole process.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:45 p.m.

Bloc

Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, like the hon. member from the NDP, I am not sure that the government's understanding is all that good yet. I think that the Conservatives are not quite there yet. The only thing they seem to understand is electioneering. At some point, they throw crumbs here and there and claim to be delivering, telling us that this actually meets the needs and aspirations of the people of both Quebec and Canada. While some money does end up in the right places, I do not think that they have even the faintest glimmer of understanding of what really happened. They have spread so much around that they actually hit the target now and then. I do not think that they have any real understanding, because theirs is truly a conservative ideology.

Shortly after they were elected for the first time, they were lagging behind the United States. What did they do? They lowered taxes, as President Bush had done in the U.S. They increased military spending and took other similar steps, almost exactly as President Bush had done, and, as a result, they found themselves in a rather precarious economic position. There are things that they cannot undo. They have cut taxes. This certainly helps some people, but they would have done much better with a more targeted measure, even if that meant forgetting this 2% cut and targeting those with the greatest needs. I do not think that they really understood anything. Ultimately, the best way to prove that the people think the same way would be to hold an election as soon as possible; then, they would see that the people understood.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:45 p.m.

Bloc

André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague from Sherbrooke, who is not only my seatmate in the House but also my neighbour in terms of the ridings we represent.

I will quickly mention the fact that my colleague has a university in his riding, the University of Sherbrooke. Among all the budget measures put forward by the Conservative government when it became aware of this economic crisis, one of them was to cut funding for university research and try to direct that research. We also have a minister, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, as our neighbour, and he was very unhappy about the cuts to research made by his government. I am talking, of course, about the member for Mégantic—L'Érable, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, who had to fight to save the Mont Mégantic observatory in his own riding. I would like the member to tell us this story to show how the ideology of this government has nothing to do with Quebec values.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The member for Sherbrooke has only 30 seconds left.

Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)Government Orders

12:45 p.m.

Bloc

Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, some research grants have been diverted directly to business research, leaving nothing for humanities. As for the Mont Mégantic observatory, I believe it is the best place in Canada. At one point, the government wanted to cut its funding. Had that happened, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services would certainly have become the future ex-member and future ex-minister of public works, but he succeeded in—