House of Commons Hansard #12 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was workers.
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we certainly want to thank Corporal Hawkins for his service and sacrifice for Canada.
As I indicated to the hon. member and to the House, members of the Canadian Forces work with military individuals on a transition plan, and no members are released until they are prepared to do so.
Sylvain Chicoine NDP Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to duck and weave. What a complete lack of class.
Canadian soldiers serve their country with the utmost courage. They certainly should not have to fight their own government to have the right to be treated with dignity when they come home injured.
Will the minister immediately reinstate Corporal Hawkins and ensure that no injured soldiers will be forced out and fired without a pension? Yes or no?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I would point out to this member that ill and injured Canadian Forces members are provided with physical, mental and occupational therapy services for their eventual transition to civilian life. I am proud to be a member of a government that has done more than any other government in Canadian history to support our men and women in uniform and to support our veterans. I am very proud of that.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, this summer the Minister of Finance did not keep his promise to improve the Canada pension plan.
Tomorrow, provincial and territorial leaders will meet in an attempt to find a way to overcome the barriers put up by the Minister of Finance.
Instead of standing in the way, could the Minister of Finance show some leadership and table a plan to improve the Canada pension plan and the Quebec pension plan so that Canada's seniors can enjoy security in their well-deserved retirement?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, Canada pension plan reforms continue to be examined by us and provincial governments. It is a topic of conversation between us and our provincial and territorial counterparts. However, we and many provinces share the concerns of small business and others of increasing costs during a fragile global recovery. We are working on this issue.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, between 2010 and 2036 the number of seniors in Canada will double, and Canadians are facing a crisis of retirement insecurity.
The provinces are in agreement that increasing the Canada pension plan is the very best way to ensure that Canadian seniors will have a secure retirement; so when will the minister stop putting up roadblocks and start working with her provincial colleagues on a concrete proposal to boost CPP rates?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned already in response, this is an active topic of conversation between our government and our provincial and territorial counterparts. There are concerns, many that have been raised by small business and others, with increasing costs during a time when our global economy is still fragile.
However, we are very proud of our record and our economic recovery since the recession: a million net new jobs in Canada, most being full time. We are on track and we are on record as heading toward a balanced budget in 2015. CPP is one of those issues we continue to deal with.
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal member for Malpeque and the NDP member for Vancouver East met to support convicted drug dealer Marc Emery.
This individual is serving a serious sentence in the United States for selling drugs online where anyone can access them. Criminal acts like these put our children at risk, yet the opposition members cannot stop their support for the drug trade.
Can the government tell this House what has been done to keep Canada safe from criminals?
Tim Uppal ConservativeMinister of State (Multiculturalism)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that question and her work to make our communities safer.
Our Conservative government has increased sentences for serious drug crimes, such as selling drugs near schools. We have been clear that drug dealers will face the full force of the law. We are unlike the leader of the Liberal Party, whose only policy is supporting the drug trade. We will focus our efforts on standing up for victims and keeping our streets and communities safe.
Hélène Laverdière NDP Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Development said again yesterday that he was proud that his government has decided to restrict access to abortion services for victims of war rape. He said he is also proud that the chief executive of Rio Tinto is playing such a key role in foreign aid.
I would like to tell the House what would really make Canadians proud: seeing Canada fight poverty and stand up for women.
When will the minister get his priorities straight?
Lois Brown ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, Canada will continue to deliver real results by focusing on areas where Canada has world-leading expertise. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Canada is recognized around the world as a leader in defending the health and safety of mothers and children, particularly girls. We will continue the leadership of the Muskoka initiative because what matters most are results, and that is what we are delivering.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government's position makes no sense. Instead of being proud of the impact of Canadian aid, it is proud to refuse funding for safe abortion services for survivors of rape. It is proud to cut funding for the world's poorest while giving—get this—mining executives exclusive access to influence the government's agenda.
Instead of blindly defending the government's shortsighted decisions, why does the group of people here, who are entrusted with our foreign policy, not actually look at the world's poorest and deal with that issue instead of its foreign policy that is misdirected?
Lois Brown ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, our government is always looking for ways to maximize the effectiveness of our development and humanitarian assistance. Our work ensures that Canada stays at the forefront of development policy in an ever-changing world. Because of the Prime Minister's leadership, the hard work and results that we have achieved, Canada is admired around the world, and our government will not stop taking expertise from all players to ensure that we continue to deliver results both for Canadians and for our development partners.
Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Mr. Speaker, to save jobs at the former Stelco, all the Conservatives needed to do was enforce the agreement that they themselves had signed under the Investment Canada Act, an agreement U.S. Steel had signed to maintain jobs in Canada. Instead of standing up to U.S. Steel and insisting it honour the promises it made, the Conservatives rolled over and settled out of court.
Can the minister explain why his government refuses to stand up for Hamilton? Why did it settle out of court?
Greg Rickford ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology
Mr. Speaker, let us break down the NDP members' convoluted position on protecting jobs in the steel industry. Steel makes pipelines. They reject the Keystone pipeline. Steel makes heavy machinery and fabrication for mining and forestry. Their leader referred to these sectors as a disease. They should quit fooling themselves and their constituents and support the Keystone pipeline and responsible resource development for the sake of jobs in the steel industry.
Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Mr. Speaker, like the industry minister himself, this minister too does not know what he is talking about. Yesterday, when I asked why he would not stand up to U.S. Steel and demand it honour the promises made to workers in Hamilton, he replied too that if the NDP supported pipelines, we would have saved jobs there. He cannot be serious. As the minister responsible knows only too well, U.S. Steel does not make anything to do with pipelines in Hamilton.
Instead of responding to serious questions with partisan smears, why does the minister not learn this file and start standing up for steelworkers rather than insulting them?
Greg Rickford ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology
Mr. Speaker, on Monday, U.S. Steel reported a third-quarter loss of $1.79 billion. Its revenue fell 11%. Unfortunately, it had to make a difficult business decision.
However, the hypocrisy of the NDP is incredible. It claims it wants to stand up for steel workers. Do members know that among the products made by U.S. Steel, in Hamilton, are pipelines for oil and gas? Members can guess who does not want to build those pipelines, across any sector. It is the NDP. They check the record.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are tossing out our wounded soldiers just as they are about to qualify for their pensions. Just as insulting, some 20,000 veterans have been denied funeral assistance from the Last Post Fund.
Now we learn that last year, the Conservatives cut this burial fund by 22%. Meanwhile, the PMO budget increased by 7%.
Why are the Conservatives increasing spending in the PMO while they slash support for our veterans?
Parm Gill ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government has made substantial investments to support Canada's veterans, including almost $5 billion in new additional dollars since taking office.
This funding has been put toward improved financial benefits, world-class rehabilitation, and tuition costs to help veterans transition to civilian life. While our government is making improvements in veterans' benefits, it is the Liberals and the NDP who are voting against new funding for mental health treatment, financial support and home care services, such as lawn cutting, snow shovelling, and cleaning homes.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts.
The Conservatives routinely fire wounded soldiers when they are just about to qualify for their pension.
In another insult, 20,000 veterans have been rejected for help for their funerals under the Last Post Fund. Now we learn that the Conservatives cut this burial fund by 22% last year.
Meanwhile, spending for the PMO has increased by 7%.
Why are the Conservatives expanding the PMO while they slash support for our veterans?
Parm Gill ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government has a strong record when it comes to providing the benefits and the services for Canada's veterans. We have created more than 600 points of service access for our veterans. We have doubled the funeral burial services benefit. We will continue to stand up for Canada's veterans. It is the NDP and the Liberals who have voted against virtually every single benefit we have brought forward to help our veterans. I would encourage them to support the government and support Canada's veterans.
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, this morning, two low-income families that received support from the Native People of Sudbury Development Corporation will be forced from their homes, through the fault of the current government. The subsidy provided by the federal housing program is ending. In the next two years, as many as 900 other families in my riding alone will be put in the same position.
Would the government work with this group in Sudbury to prevent this tragedy from happening?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to helping vulnerable Canadians to become self-sufficient and to fully participate in our economy.
In fact, budget 2013 renewed our commitment to affordable housing, with our agreement for investment in affordable housing.
Every year, together with our partners, we have helped over 880,000 individuals and families with subsidized housing.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, the worst part is that the minister is acting as though he really cared about first nations.
In 2009, the entire program supported 620,000 households at a cost of $1.7 billion. After cutting $100 million, the government still has not decided whether to renew its social housing agreements. That will affect more than 200,000 households.
Will the government protect its operating agreements and prevent the loss of social housing, or will it once again ignore the needs of the most disadvantaged?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, I think the member is confused. She should know that CMHC is providing mortgage subsidies for long-term, 25-to 50-year agreements. Those agreements are coming to an end. There is no cut.
What we have done is renewed our agreements with the provinces for affordable housing. As well, we have renewed our commitment for our homelessness partnering strategy, with a focus on housing first.
On a number of levels, we are working together with partners for affordable housing, for homelessness, and empowering and equipping people so they can get jobs and afford the housing in their area.