House of Commons Hansard #129 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was workers.
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to my colleagues in the NDP, I have been working diligently with the commissioner—
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, Troop 4, 1998, was the last troop before the Liberals shut down the depot, and they know it.
I have indicated we have worked with the commissioner—
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Notwithstanding the comments by the member for Wascana, Mr. Speaker, we will work with the RCMP. We will not shut it down. We will ensure that the Canadian people are protected.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, today UNICEF released a report on rates of child poverty that ranks Canada in the bottom third of industrialized countries. The report pulls no punches and says that the child poverty rate shows up in stunted individual potential, higher social costs and dimmed economic prosperity for all.
Will the government live up to its responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and act now to end child and family poverty?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, the government has done exactly that. In fact, the percentage of children in poverty is half under our government of what it was under the Liberals. Why is that? It is because we have done a lot of things that the NDP voted against, such as enhancing the national child benefit and the child tax benefit. This year we are investing $19 billion in support of children. Those members are voting against it. We introduced the universal child care benefit that has taken 55,000 children out of the low income bracket. Those members voted against that. We have improved that for single families. They are voting against it too.
We are there. We are helping children get out of poverty. Too bad the NDP would not join us in that effort.
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, my top priority and that of our government is creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians.
The over 751,000 net new jobs created since July 2009 are positive signs that our pro-trade plan is on the right track for London workers and Canadian workers. Economic action plan 2012 announced a commitment to refresh the global commerce strategy.
Would the Minister of International Trade share with the House how our government is moving forward with what is the most comprehensive trade expansion plan in Canada's history?
Ed Fast ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, today on International Trade Day our government is launching the next phase of our pro-trade plan for jobs, growth and economic prosperity.
We have announced the start of formal consultations towards an updated global commerce strategy and also the appointment of an eminent panel of Canadian industry and business leaders who will provide advice on the next phase of the plan. This will demonstrate once again that Canadians can compete in the global marketplace against the best in the world and win.
I do want to thank the member for London West for his great work on the trade committee and for the great question.
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the government knows, the people of northwestern Ontario are a strong and united people, but we are not immune from the forces of nature. A state of emergency has been declared in Thunder Bay and the surrounding areas due to flooding. When the damage to public infrastructure is fully assessed, it will be in the tens of millions of dollars.
When the request for financial assistance comes from the municipalities and the province, is the Minister of Public Safety prepared to help the people of Thunder Bay and the surrounding areas rebuild after this unfortunate event?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to those affected by the flooding. Management of these situations rests primarily with the Province of Ontario, but there is room for federal involvement through the provisions of the disaster financial assistance agreement.
I have also discussed this matter with the member for Kenora to ensure that the voices of northern Ontarians are being heard along with that member. The Government of Canada stands ready to assist should we be requested to do so.
Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, in 2010 the Conservatives legalized the looting of $57 billion from the employment insurance fund. By 2016, another $16 billion will have been taken away from employers and employees. The government is now proposing a reform to reduce benefits for workers who lose their jobs. Let us be honest: the employment insurance program has become a cash cow for the government.
Since the government is treating employment insurance as no more than a tax on working, why does it not transfer responsibility for it to Quebec, which former chief actuary Michel Bédard says would be better able to protect its workers, at a lower cost?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, everything he has just said is absolutely false. The Liberals are the ones who looted the employment insurance fund, and we are the ones who have introduced a new system to make sure there is a balance between premiums paid and spending. Unfortunately, the Bloc voted against that effort to control spending and help the unemployed at the same time.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina, led by the Hon. Milorad Zivkovic, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would also like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Ken Hughes, Minister of Energy for Alberta.
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question about the changes to the long-term disability policy, I wanted to thank all members of the House for their support, particularly the Minister of Veterans Affairs for his hard work on this file.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, those who were chanting Peter on this side, we were speaking of the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore. Although, we do appreciate the minister's decision not to appeal the decision, and we support it wholeheartedly.
During question period, the member for Toronto Centre was kind enough to read a quotation by Premier Dunderdale, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unfortunately, he called her “he” in his quotation. I would like to give him an opportunity to correct the record. Premier Dunderdale is actually a women. He may want to correct it in the blues, but perhaps he would want to correct it in the House as well.
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the opposition House leader already tweeted on this subject, which is a thoroughly nice thing of him to do.
I also appreciate the point from the member for St. John's East. I know Premier Dunderdale extremely well. We had a wonderful meeting not too long ago. In fact, we spent the regatta together on August 1. If I inadvertently referred to the premier as “he” when I should have referred to her as “she”, of course I apologize.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please. I am not sure if any of those are actual points of orders, but I am sure the House appreciates the clarifications.
Motion that debate be not further adjournedContinuation and Resumption of Rail Service Operations LegislationGovernment Orders
York—Simcoe Ontario
Conservative
Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the consideration of Government Business No. 12, I move:
That the debate be not further adjourned.
Motion that debate be not further adjournedContinuation and Resumption of Rail Service Operations LegislationGovernment Orders
Conservative
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Pursuant to Standing Order 67.1, there will now be a 30-minute question period. As has been done in the past, members should try to keep questions or comments to about a minute and the responses to a similar length of time.
Once again, we will try to give preference to members of the opposition, although government members will be recognized in the rotation.
The hon. member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley.