Mr. Speaker, first, I congratulate you on your election as Speaker and wish you well in the chair.
I also thank the voters of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca for giving me the great honour of representing them in this chamber. I will work hard to ensure their concerns are always front and centre in my work here.
Having listened to the throne speech and the debate thus far, my question for the parliamentary secretary is about pensions. In the Speech from the Throne, the government has chosen to ignore the first choice of most Canadians, and that is to strengthen the Canada pension plan. Instead, the government is pushing forward with a plan that will see Bay Street scoop up a significant portion of any increase in retirement savings in its fees taken out of the hard-earned income of Canadians.
As well, the speech promises only a half measure for the many seniors who struggle right now everyday to make ends meet, in my riding and across the country.
Could the parliamentary secretary tell us why the government refuses to support the urgent, affordable and truly Canadian policy of lifting all seniors out of poverty immediately?